


Coral Snake

by Sabernymph



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood and Gore, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Foreplay, OC, Post-Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku | Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Romance, Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku | Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Titans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 01:33:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 94,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17274584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabernymph/pseuds/Sabernymph
Summary: "In many regards he was just like her. He could accept her faults, because in reality he knew exactly what it was like. They were both killers made malleable from the oppressive heat of heartache, battered into resilient shape by the hammer of reality, and bathed in the cooling depths of a world that had recognized their potential as tools of war." LevixOC, M for gore/smut/lang





	1. Chapter 1

Alright, so this is my first attempt at an AOT fic. I'll come right out and say it. This will definitely be at least slightly AU. HOWEVER, I am going to do my absolute best to try and stay in sync with the actual timeline and canon. If you see blatant horrific issues (and I'm capable of fixing them) I'll do my best to tweak and correct whenever I make mistakes. Again, not everything is true canon and I'm taking some artistic liberties considering how much of the lore isn't even concrete yet. That being said, please enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Attack on Titan storyline or its characters. This story is written for entertainment purposes only.

SLIGHT AU/ LEVI X OC/SMUT/GORE

Chapter One—Street Rat

"I guess I'm still just confused as to why I can't come with you? I mean, for fucks sakes, it won't be long until I'm finally enlisted!"

Mike sighed into his hand, rubbing his temples in vexation. He turned to once again repeat his reasoning to his niece. It was too early in the morning for this shit frankly. "I really don't get which part is confusing you, Cora? Was it the part where I said it was too dangerous, or the part where I reminded you that you're not a soldier yet?"

Glaring, Coral's emerald green eyes narrowed dangerously on him when he used her proper name and for a moment he was reminded of the wild little devil spawn that he'd seen that day when he first dragged her out of the slums.

Coral was practically seething. If it weren't for their close relationship, he would have been worried she was going to spring and latch onto his throat; her expression was that distasteful.

"How is that even relevant?!" She seethed, "Despite the fact that I'm not a soldier, you know damn well I'm a capable individual even as young as I am. Are you forgetting how many years I survived down there WITHOUT YOU?" Cora dragged the last two words out loudly, purposely digging into his most sensitive spot and doubling down with her cruelty. She was no longer a complete savage in the belly of the Underground, but her ability to cut through with her words was still just as unwavering and brutal. Mike Zacharius cringed visibly despite himself. He knew she was angry about being left behind, but he was surprised by the utter ferocity that was underlying his teenage niece's words. He scanned her face again, trying to understand her motivation when he saw the twinge of something else behind her eyes.

It was fear.

"Cora," Mike said softly, choosing to ignore her venom and instead dropping down to his niece's level to grab her by the shoulders gently. Her anger twinged slightly to something less animalistic and more soft. "What's actually bothering you so much?" Her uncle asked quietly, making sure to make extremely direct and unblinking contact into her eyes.

Cora began to quake, shaking in his grasp as she struggled to maintain her composure. "You don't know what it's like down there, Mike." She sniffed, clenching and unclenching her clammy fists, "People aren't like they are up here, okay? I know you've been down there, but still...you just...you just have to promise me that you're gonna be careful, okay?! I'm never gonna forgive your stupid fucking ass if you die down there and I have to go join the scouts all by myself!"

Exhaling in relief, Mike dragged Cora forward and wrapped her in his massive bearlike hug. "I promise."

Cora sagged into his hug and tried to relax. She had to acquiesce no matter what anyway. Mike had told her why he was going down there in the first place. He and some others, most notably Commander Erwin Smith, were going down into the Underground to apprehend some wanted thugs. According to the irate Military Police higher ups, a few of the gang members of the underground city had been caught stealing ODM equipment and were even so bold as to come back for replacement gas tanks. She could still remember the astounded and simultaneously impressed expression her uncle had displayed when Erwin told him as much in their scout headquarters.

Having grown up alongside the scouts ever since Mike had found her, Cora had become an integral and commonplace staple among the scout leaders. Although she had yet to participate in legitimate ODM training, they had had no qualms with her honing her other combat skills. The only thing they'd remained adamant about was that she was not to touch ODM gear or blades until she'd been properly trained. That being said, any attempt to go and apprehend some criminals while all of them were using their ODM gear would make her presence nothing more than a severe hindrance. Cora knew there was no way in hell Mike would actually allow her to come down there with them while she had no actual means of following him. It was idiotic even from her point of view. Not that that was going to stop her from throwing a hissy fit about it.

Releasing her from his embrace, Mike held her again out at arm's length. "Listen, it's not going to be a big deal. I have Erwin with me and Rashad and Marlene. We're going to be outnumbering a group of dirty little thieving brats. There's nothing down there that's any more intimidating than a Titan-that much I can damn sure promise you."

Begrudgingly, Cora nodded in admittance that he was right. She had personally yet to see a Titan face to face, but she had seen the faces of her uncle's comrades and personally been affected by their devastation. She had lost many friends due to her close proximity to the scouts. It was part of the fuel that drove her to enlist. She was sick and tired of watching her fellows die while herself and the others hid behind walls. Ever since she'd managed to emerge from the Underground, Cora had understood that, although this area might technically be "safe", those walls were essentially the next ceiling she needed to breach. She'd be goddamned if she was gonna sit behind the curtain and never dare peek over to the other side. The scouts had dragged her from a life of filth and depravity in the squalid slums of a nightmare that never ended, and there was no way she wasn't prepared to give her life for their continued existence.

Blinking back tears she hadn't realized were threatening to spill, she brushed her uncle's hands off her arms and stomped off upstairs to her room.

"Just don't fucking die, okay?" She called over her shoulder, causing Mike to smile and sigh. If his sister were here she'd probably smack him for not getting on to her for all her daughter's cursing.

"Yeah, yeah, Margaret. I get it." He snickered to himself, recalling Cora's mother's own rapier like tongue. She'd once called her best friend and neighbor Tom a "puffed up gasbag ass for brains" or...something to that effect. All he could really remember was how hard he'd laughed at the expression on Tom's face.

Tom...

Despite the fact that Coral was almost the spitting image of her mother, Mike often saw remnants of his old friend. It was mainly her determination and her ferocity. That almost animal like fervor and relentless strength that reminded him of Tom back when the man used to get especially out of control. Every time it crept up in Coral, Mike would find himself involuntarily shuddering. There was something mildly unnerving about that raw passion. It wasn't just her dogged perseverance, but the knowledge that she was more than capable of acting on those ambitions. It was a truly lethal combination.

It often made Mike muse over his own unfounded suspicions about his little niece, and it was for this reason too that he had to protect Coral no matter what the cost. Her ability and her true origins (if he was right) made her a target, and he refused to fail her or his sister ever again...

Shaking his head of old and uselessly painful memories, Mike gathered the last of his gear and quickly pulled on his forest green cape bearing the Wings of Freedom. He and Erwin were scheduled to meet at the entrance less than 20 minutes from now. Opening the door to their current suite, Mike called back from the balcony walkway encircling the building. "This shouldn't take long. If I don't come back here, then I'll meet you at the training grounds. I love you!"

With that, the door swung closed and Coral mumbled back to herself in their room, "I love you too."

Growling at her own current incompetence, Cora went to the window and watched as her uncle hurried to the nearest stairwell leading into the Underground. For a second she wondered why he wouldn't use his gear to get there faster and then remembered where she was. The folks in the interior weren't generally a fan of grappling hook holes in their walls and likely weren't used to men zooming around over their heads all the time. They probably viewed it as slightly barbaric frankly. You could see it on the faces of the aristocratic lords and ladies that sneered as her uncle and Commander Erwin passed. Even now as he ran to go and join Erwin, Cora could see faces in the crowd mean mugging the tall strange sandy-haired man who wore the crest of the Survey Corps. She didn't have to be able to read lips to know what it was that one woman uttered as Mike made his way through the throng.

Fool.

Gripping the window sill tightly, Cora glared death rays into the woman's skull. That woman didn't have a fucking clue. None of them had a fucking clue. They stayed back here away from the death, away from the horror, away from the loss. The vast majority of these prodigious pigs couldn't even conceive of a titan-much less describe the horror of seeing one or its rapacious appetite. Most of the folks living in the interior were completely oblivious to the true plight of the soldiers who endeavored to venture into danger. Their whole existence was completely dependent on these walls and it didn't bother them one bit. They had the audacity to look at men like her uncle and consider him a fool for risking his life. When in reality, the only fools she could see were the ones who were arrogant enough to think they'd be safe for eternity, nestled in luxury and avarice while man-eating monsters still dominated the land.

Coral recognized slothful vulnerability when she saw it. It had been one of her earliest lessons taught to her back when she was just a crummy little street rat. Those who thought themselves safe or invincible were indelibly the first to die. True power was derived from constant vigilance and the knowledge that anything could go wrong at any time. Not only that but realizing that you were susceptible to those whims just like anyone else. No matter how prepared or skilled you thought you really were.

It was for these reasons, among others, that she'd actually decided to go with her uncle that day when he'd found her. She recognized the true power of the man in front of her, and instead of using it to dominate her, he'd used it to demonstrate his vulnerability. She could still remember to this day the awe she'd felt at his appearance.

She'd been strutting around near the canals, trying to dredge up information, materials, food, or anything useful really when she'd spotted Mike's figure flying in from the corner of her eye. Within mere seconds, he'd appeared before her, bouncing off the cobblestones as he retracted his gear. He was extremely tall and handsome with his evenly parted blonde hair and large golden eyes. Plus, he was fully outfitted in the uniform of the Survey Corps, which she'd never before seen down in the slums.

Coral had stood there gawping at him like a landbound fish. It was rare that she let her guard down that much. To be so surprised by his appearance meant his showing up in that manner was about as shocking as the Ceiling of the Underground suddenly eroding into thin air.

"Hello there. Are you Cora Zacharius?" He'd asked quite simply.

She'd blustered for a second. How in the hell did this guy know her real name and who in the the Devil's name had actually told him?!

"Who the fuck's asking?" She'd responded, taking a step back that brought her closer to the edge of one of the underground canals. Worst case scenario, she'd jump in. She'd had to do it before in order to save her skin. It certainly wasn't her most appealing option, but she'd just seen this man fly across the city specifically to find her. Evading a soldier like this might prove difficult even for Cora. She was fast, quick-witted, and unusually strong for a malnourished girl of her age, so she'd made a name for herself throughout the city as a child who shouldn't be fucked with. Many men who'd tried to had ended up either dead or sporting newly mangled bits. She knew it paid to leave a lasting impression on her enemies, but those she couldn't defeat, she could almost always outrun. This guy however...

Mike eyed her movements cautiously. The orange glow of the subterranean city gave her reddish-yellow hair an almost luminescent quality. Despite the fact that she was a filthy, black rag wearing street rat missing baby teeth, Mike had been able to spot the child from the air. The local inn keeper, Tammy, a woman who'd known Cora since she was a baby, had given Mike the information he'd sought easily. She had taken one look at the burly, handsome scout with his attentive eyes and well groomed facial hair and known that any life he could give her would be infinitely better than her current existence in the slums.

Using his ODM gear effortlessly, he'd flown above the rooftops until he'd found the area the woman had said she'd likely be in. Looking down, he'd spotted her almost immediately. She was the spitting image of Margaret at that age. But now...

Now as he looked at her gleaming eyes and the small tensed muscles that seemed ready to spring into action, Mike was suddenly reminded of someone else entirely.

"You look just like them..." He'd muttered to himself, unconsciously speaking aloud.

Cora's eyes narrowed at him, "What did you say?"

Blinking, Mike shook his head and sighed at the feral expression on her face. "I...I'm your uncle, Cora." He'd said quietly.

Cora's face turned even paler than it already was. Her uncle? If that were true...

"What the hell do you want? Why would you show up now?" She'd demanded, fingers slipping into the waistband where she kept her knife. Mike noticed the small movement and took a step forward, "Cora, please, don't be afraid. I want to take you with me. I want to get you out of this godforsaken place!"

Snarling, Cora's fingers wrapped around the small knife and she drew it, threatening him to back off with a short jab. "Back the fuck off, outsider!" She'd snarled at him, edging even closer to the canal's edge. "I don't know if you're really my uncle or not, but I don't need help from top worlder. I know I'm just a kid, but I can take care of myself!" She spit venomously at him, daring him to come any further.

Mike's eyes widened in the gloom. He saw what she was preparing to do.

"Please, don't-" he stepped forward slightly but it was all she'd needed. Placing her feet together on the lip of the canal, she'd crouched and leaped backwards, spring boarding off the wall like a nimble little frog. Without thinking, Mike followed. Jumping after her, he'd snagged her small frame in the air while simultaneously shooting off an anchor to the far side of the canal. Clenching her into himself protectively, Mike spun midair and used his back to smack into the opposing wall, mere feet above the water below. He'd cried out in pain as some of his ribs cracked but continued to hold onto the small girl who—in her surprise—had dropped hold of her tiny knife and was watching as it disappeared into the stream of water below. His cry ripped her back to reality and she looked up to stare into his face. His chiseled features were contorted in pain.

"Cora, I'm so sorry..." he mumbled out, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

If she was surprised before, now she was just blown away. "W-what?"

What in the name of Satan could this man possibly be apologizing to me for?

"I-I'm sorry I didn't come for you sooner. I hate seeing you here. I hate seeing her here." He'd sobbed out a litte. Cora regarded him intently. If this was a trap then it was a damn convincing one.

A strange flash of hope flickered in the recesses of Cora's depraved mind. Was this man really her family? Was she really not alone anymore? Past experience had taught her to doubt it. There was no reason in the world that she—a street brat who couldn't remember anything but garbage and dirt and blood—should suddenly be offered a piece of legitimate happiness. This wasn't a stray crust of bread dropped by a merchant or a kick to the stomach that was only followed by darkness and not more pain—this was actual hope...

"Ugh. FUCK!" Mike coughed, suddenly glaring at her through his visible pain. "Your mom should have named you Coral and not just Cora. Between that red-yellow hair of hers and your dad's venomous nature, you're practically a little snake."

That had caused her to blink. "D-did you really know my parents?"

Mike nodded solemnly, still clutching her to his chest, "Yes, little Coral Snake...I did. I searched for you for a long time. You're all that's left of my family. Although," he smirked at her cheekily, "If I'd known you were gonna be this much of a pain in the ass, I might have decided to leave you here."

Something sparked inside the young girl that had never before existed. Maybe it was because of his kind face, or the way he'd risked his life to save hers, or his prowess with the amazingly powerful gear he was wearing, or perhaps it was just the prospect of learning about her family that did it, but she made a decision right then and there that would eventually be the major turning point of her entire life. Cora decided she wanted to live, and not just life as it was in the shithole of the Underground. She wanted more, and this man was offering it to her. Who was she to turn that down?

Scowling at his light-hearted insult, she'd jabbed him in the chest none too gently, "Are you gonna keep whining or get us out of this stinking canal with that crazy contraption of yours at some point? It smells like two tons of shit down here."

Mike Zacharius's laugh had echoed through the Underground.

++There it is, folks. Chapter one. A little bit of heroine backstory. Let me know what ya'll think.

-Saber


	2. Initiation

Chapter Two-Initiation

Coral was practically vibrating out of her skin. Her usual calm demeanor was struggling underneath her desire to vibrate uncontrollably. Mike snickered as she snatched her cadet training clothes from one of the quartermaster officers and the man flinched slightly, eyeing his volatile little 5 foot flat niece with something akin to fear amid definite traces of trepidation.

She'd emerged from the new cadet dressing room looking a little more stony eyed, but Mike could still see the excited gleam in her verdant green eyes. She looked great in her new threads. Ever since he'd pulled her from the Underground, she had shot up like a weed. Her once ratty auburn hair had developed streaks of blonde from the light of the sun, accenting its already bright color and further convincing Mike that she looked like a feisty little coral snake. Although still short for her age, her sudden increase in nutrition had caused her to soar up in height and muscle definition. She rarely spent her days doing nothing or acting like an interior teenage girl. Mostly, she did her best to train with the Survey Corps before they went out on expeditions. She relentlessly tagged along beside men and women who wore the Wings of Freedom on their backs. If there was anyone who was born to be a scout it was Coral Zacharius.

For a moment, she beamed at him in her scout uniform, but it was quickly replaced with stoic determination when she spotted other new cadets spilling out onto the training field.

"You ready?" Mike asked her, smirking at the look of intense purpose in her countenance and stance.

"Absolutely," She said looking up at him. Mike towered over her, causing her to appear even shorter than she already was, but there wasn't going to be anyone in this regiment who doubted her. She was going to make damn sure of that.

"I still don't get why we have to have bunk separately!" Groused a short haired pixie like girl as she pulled on her new cadet jacket.

"Don't be an idiot, Isabel." Farlan said rolling his eyes, "You know damn well why they don't allow that here."

"Still," Isabel continued to huff, "It's gonna be really weird with you guys not being nearby. I'm so used to us all living in the same house."

To the right of her, a rather short but capable looking young man with glowering eyes and short cropped hair gave his companion a dismal but unsympathetic look.

"You'll get over it." Levi said flatly, striding past her into the training grounds. Isabel scowled at her friend and gang leader.

Farlan, a boyishly good looking brunette with mischievous eyes, laughed at Isabel as she stuck her tongue out at Levi's back.

"He's right, you know, Isabel. Also, don't forget..." He bent down slightly to whisper in her ear, "We're not gonna be here that long anyway. Once I find out where they're located...we're gonna fly this coop and finally find a home above ground. Legal and free." He emphasized that last word and Isabel nodded her head in agreement.

Just thinking about it made her heart flutter like a bird waiting to be released from a cage. No more underground. No more stealing to live. No more ceilings and people looking down on them. They could start over. Life would be like nothing they'd ever experienced before.

Taking off after Levi, the two hurried to join him as he stood waiting in the growing group of soldiers. Everywhere you looked, young people in brand new uniforms and even some veterans joined in the courtyard to listen to Commander Keith Shadis as he addressed the men and women in uniform. Upon spotting Levi and his crew, Shadis made a point to beckon them up onto the stage.

"ATTENTION, ALL!" The dark-eyed veteran boomed above the noise of the crowd and a hush fell.

Simultaneously, the group stood to attention and directed all their eyes towards the commander. Standing at the far back still next to her uncle, Coral watched with interest as Shadis referred to the three cadets next to him and allowed them to introduce themselves. The first one to speak, a short runt of a man she'd never seen before seemed to reluctantly inform everyone that he was named Levi. After that, a small girl with vibrant red hair similar to hers proudly exclaimed that she was called Isabel. The last newbie, a tall boy with roguishly tousled brown hair and a cocky smile declared that his name was Farlan.

Coral watched them intently. Were these the three thugs Mike had talked about with Erwin the other night? The ones that had to be personally retrieved by the best members of the Survey Corps? They didn't look like much. She turned her head slightly to her uncle, whispering to him as covertly as possible as Shadis continued to ramble.

"Are those the criminals, Mike?"

Scowling at her slightly, Mike didn't respond verbally only nodded while remaining at attention. Cora turned back to the stage and almost blanched when her gaze immediately interlocked with the raven-haired leader Levi, who appeared to be trying to stare into her soul.

He had been glaring at Mike, having immediately spotted him from their time in the Underground. He could still feel the man's hands on the back of his head as he'd shoved his face into the putrescent filth of an Underground puddle.

It hadn't taken him long to spot the small redhead at Mike's side who was speaking out of the side of her face like a misbehaving brat in a classroom. His eyes had narrowed on her, considering what her affiliation really was to the two men he now considered his bitter enemies. She was clearly too young to be his significant other, but young enough to possibly be his daughter? They certainly looked similar.

He'd unconsciously been glaring at the girl, so her face paled when she turned and caught him staring. Levi had never been easy to intimidate however, so when she returned his look he just continued sizing her up.

Across the courtyard, Coral struggled to glare right back at him, only faltering when she suddenly heard that Commander Shadis intended for the three criminals to join up with Squad Leader Flagon's group.

What the fuck? Coral inwardly exclaimed. Those three get to join the Survey Corps just like that?! They're thugs AND they're practically kids! They barely look any older than me AND they haven't even been trained yet!

She continued to fume as the commander dismissed them and the group of soldiers prepared to disperse to their respective posts. Turning to Mike, she couldn't help but jab a finger in the direction of the known band of criminals. "So those thugs you dragged out of the Underground are getting the join the Scouts already?! Seriously?!"

Mike regarded her warily, "It's not up to me, Coral. Erwin set all of this up. According to him, they're all three very skilled with ODM equipment. He's set up some kind of deal with that leader of theirs, Levi, that erases their criminal history, while we get to reap the benefits of them as soldiers. Don't get mad at me. This isn't even remotely close to being my call."

Coral's face was starting to match her hair the more she thought about the situation. She struggled to maintain soldier like composure as the implications of what she was hearing fully reached her. Her she was, a product of dedicated scout training who had been consistently denied early admittance into the program, being bypassed for a trio of untested, untrustworthy, unappreciative criminal nitwits who were just lucky enough to snag a deal that catapulted them out of the Underground and directly into her personal dream?

"You have got to be kidding me?!" She squeezed out through gritted teeth. "Where the hell is Erwin, Mike?" She barked at him.

Flinching, Mike took note of her clenched fists and knew immediately that he wouldn't be able to stop her from finding Erwin now even if he tried.

She didn't even wait for him to reply. Spinning around, she searched for Erwin at the front of the procession where the other personnel would have likely been. In a second she'd spotted him and was barreling through the throngs of people like a draft horse pulling a cart through a marketplace. People spotted her expression and unconsciously stepped back from her, allowing her to arrive at Erwin's side rather quickly. The looming man with equally looming eyebrows, regarded her inquisitively as she stood waiting for him to finish a conversation with one of the new cadets. Spotting Coral's expression, the young soldier quickly found a reason to excuse himself and disappeared.

"Erwin," Coral practically spit, causing the stern faced blonde to flex an eyebrow and turn to acknowledge her. "You're gonna admit those three criminals to the scouts, but I-I still have to take another 3 years of basic training before I can go on a mission?"

Erwin had to resist grinning at her. Despite how clearly incensed she was, he had to admit that she was holding back fairly well in public. Normally, behind closed doors with her and Mike and himself, she had no issue spilling out vitriolic and downright personal curses that would rival the Devil himself. "Coral, you haven't had 3 years of basic training."

Her expression only darkened, and he had to really fight the urge to snort at how adorably vengeful she really looked. He was the first person to say it was idiocy to underestimate Coral Zacharius, but that didn't change the fact that sometimes when she was mad she resembled a highly irate kitten.

"Not technically, but you know damn well I've actually trained more than all of them! The scout headquarters is basically my home! You seriously trust them more-"

"I've never known a brat so eager to be titan food before," interrupted someone behind her.

Coral noticed Erwin's expression shift a little bit as he took in the visage of a person who'd walked up on their conversation.

"Hello, Levi." Erwin said politely.

Spinning on her heel, Coral turned to face the sour expression of the infamous Underground criminal leader.

After the assembly had convened, Levi had watched in interest as Mike and his companion proceeded to have an obvious argument across the square. He'd watched as she'd huffed and puffed across the courtyard until she'd found Erwin. He couldn't help but wonder what it was that had her so upset and why she felt it necessary to turn her attention to Levi's intended target.

Without much hesitation, he left the stage and slowly made his way towards where she and Erwin were continuing another heated discussion. Upon nearing them, it didn't take him long to figure out that the "them" she was referring to was him and his friends. His frown deepened slightly. Another uppity top worlder who thought he and his friends were nothing but scum.

Upon his rather unintentional outburst, he continued to frown as the girl spun and turned her attention to him.

"You..." She snarled, remembering how he'd been staring daggers at her on stage. "I wouldn't expect some petty thief to understand what it means to sacrifice oneself for the good of humanity."

"Tch."

Levi gave her a withering look and then turned his attention to Mike. Coral watched as he appeared to consider saying something before visibly changing his mind. "Never mind. It's not worth it." He sneered before turning and walking briskly back to his friends.

Glowering at the back of his freshly shaved nape, Coral envisioned for a second that Levi was a titan and she was holding blades.

"Do you see what I mean?" She burst out in exasperation, turning to look back at Erwin."That guy's a certified asshole! If you're gonna admit those clowns, then you should at least reconsider letting ME of all people join early." She yelled at him imploringly.

Erwin regarded her closely. He knew she did have a fairly valid point. His usual excuse would have been that she hadn't been trained in gear, but Erwin and Mike both had had a sneaking suspicion that that wasn't entirely true. They were both aware of the fact that there were times at night when Coral would sneak out of her room. There had been a few different times when the locals had complained of ODM hooks damaging their roofs and walls, often accusing the scouts of treating the city like a playground. The problem was that all the equipment had to be checked in and checked out and the records seemed tight. Erwin had no real concrete proof that it was Coral, but….it was definitely Coral. Not to mention, when he and Mike and the others were out on an expedition, there were large periods of time where Coral mostly took care of herself. There was no way to keep her supervised at all times. Plus, she really was a highly capable teenager. Her time in the Underground had shaped her into a young person that was certainly no stranger to reality.

Sighing, Erwin playfully ruffled her hair and turned to walk to his carriage awaiting him. "I will consider it, Coral." He called out behind him before stepping into the vehicle.

The annoyed expression she'd developed when he mussed up her hair turned into a more self satisfied smirk. "Thank you, Blon—I mean, Commander Smith!" She called out briefly before remembering that she was addressing her commanding officer in front of a bunch of soldiers near the capital of the city.

Sighing, Coral turned back around to gaze into the group of soldiers, many of whom were still chatting with each other or grouping up to head to their posts or in many cases heading into the capitol to take their leave. She quickly spotted the black hair and composed yet somehow arrogant posture of Levi.

What a freaking jerk that little runt is. Did he actually call ME a brat?

For a second she struggled to recall if she'd ever seen him before back in the Underground. His name had sounded kinda familiar. It was certainly possible that they might have run into each other back in the old days…

He certainly didn't look familiar though. Although very short in stature compared to most of the men up here on the surface, Levi was well built and appeared surprisingly toned for someone raised in the Underground. She hated to admit it, but the guy was attractive despite his height and his almost permanent dead-eyed scowl. Even from across the courtyard, she could see his lithe frame standing protectively against his friends, arms folded across his chest and expression ever watchful as they talked quietly together in a group. Both Farlan and Isabel obviously deferred to him as they talked, and when he moved, they followed.

Coral watched in interest as Squad Leader Flagon walked up to them. She had to surmise he was preparing them for their quarters and getting them acquainted with their squad. The group of four eventually disappeared, heading for the barracks at the back of the compound.

Glancing briefly over at Mike who was still discussing something with the other squad leaders, Coral decided to follow them. She knew half of her interest was born solely out of curiosity over the three's origins. After all, they were from the Underground just like her. Another part entirely was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she'd learned as a young child to never disregard. She'd seen the way Levi looked at Erwin. Earlier, his expression…

Coral knew that expression...she knew that face…

It was the face of someone who had no issues with killing.

Staying well back, she followed behind them, walking nonchalantly until they reached the large door leading into the men's barracks. Managing to jam her foot into the door just as it was about to close, Coral hesitated momentarily before slipping in behind the four soldiers and quickly dodging down behind some of the bunk beds lining the barracks walls.

She listened attentively as one of the members of the group whined about something—it was obviously the small girl. The one who looked kind of like her but was clearly more obnoxious. Crouching even lower, Coral turned and fixated her eyes on the group of people standing at the end of the room.

"You two men will be staying down here," stated Flagon, pointing to a set of bunk beds near the end of the building. Passively regarding them, Levi walked over and with one hand dusted the inside panel of the bed. Coral couldn't see the expression on his face, but the set of his shoulders made it obvious he was displeased with something.

"You lot have been living in the dumps of the Underground," drawled Flagon, "But do try to keep this place clean."

Levi tensed and lifted his right ear as though struggling to comprehend what he'd just heard. Simultaneously, he turned to look at the squad leader, one eyebrow lifted in a clear expression of what appeared to be not only shock but unadulterated hatred for the posturing Flagon. "Huh?" He breathed, turning his whole body in a stance of defiance that seemed to dare their squad leader to repeat himself.

Coral couldn't help but snicker silently to herself at the way Flagon blustered and yelled at the clearly incensed Levi, even going so far as to threaten him. Farlan, sensing the growing wave of negative energy that was sparking between the two like literal friction, quickly placed himself between the soldier and his leader and apologized on Levi's behalf.

Still fuming, Flagon turned and stalked his way out of the barracks like a sniffy child, yelling at Farlan that their training began in the morning and that his salute was wrong. Coral slunk even further against the bunk bed as he passed, hoping he wouldn't look sideways or down on his way out. Thankfully, Flagon was so irate, he didn't bother looking anywhere but the door. As Flagon disappeared, she once again peered around the edge at the three Underground thieves of renown.

Coral watched Farlan's back visibly release in tension as he turned back to address Levi.

"Don't pull any more stunts like that, Levi." He said pointedly to their annoyed leader, "We already have enough eyes on us already."

Coral had to hand it to Farlan. He clearly wasn't an idiot.

I mean, here I am...

"Did you not hear what that piece of shit was saying with his piece of shit mouth?" Levi asked in frustration, rubbing his hand along a white cloth. Apparently trying to get the dust of the bunk bed off his hand.

Geez. I would have never expected a common thief from the Underground to have such issues with dirt. Coral thought, amused despite herself.

"We weren't just caught by accident, you know." Farlan replied, hands going for his hips in a stance she imagined he considered authoritative. Coral's attention focused in even more as Farlan's tone changed drastically. "I hope you haven't forgotten why we're here, Levi." He said, face down turned and expression infinitely more grim than the happy go lucky bullshit facade he'd used on Flagon only moments earlier.

Why we're here…?

Deep green eyes narrowing on the three, Coral tried to ascertain what it was about that sentence that bothered her. There was definitely something behind it. It sounded sinister somehow. Farlan made it sound…like they'd gotten caught on purpose…

"Yeah, I know..." responded the ever bland Levi, head turning briefly to look at the ceiling as though inspecting it for dust and dirt as well.

After a few moments, the girl Isabel departed the same way Flagon had, presumably in search of a female officer who could tell her where her sleeping quarters were. Ducking underneath one of the barracks beds, Coral waited as the two men conversed briefly about nothing that seemed of interest until they too left the same way. She waited patiently for a minute after they'd closed the door before scrambling out and to her feet before quickly sneaking back out. She didn't want to get caught by herself in the boy's barracks. That had the potential to be both embarrassing and also problematic among what were now her military superiors. Luckily for her, years in the Underground and her small body made for a very stealthy girl. Even Levi didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Walking to the girl's barracks, Coral continued to mull over the weird statement Farlan had made to Levi. Levi's response had been so bizarre; coupled with that cryptic ass stare of his…

She couldn't shake the feeling that those three were definitely up to something, and she had a feeling that whatever it was it wasn't good.

++Please review, good people! I'm dying to hear if this is interesting or if I'm just deluding myself. As I said earlier, I really want this story to have a natural flow to it. I hate original characters whose very presence is a complete and utter strain on the viability of the story. This is indeed going to be a romance fic, but I want it to be engaging and suspenseful as well. ;) Thanks for reading!

-Saber


	3. Preparations

Chapter Three-Preparations

Although Mike and Erwin's mission to collect the underground deviants had been completed, Mike remained in the city for a while longer before it was time for him to return to the Survey Corps headquarters. Coral saw him fairly often as she and the other cadets went about their training as usual. For now, Levi and his gang appeared to be staying with the new group of recruits until the first expedition outside the wall. Coral wasn't sure what kind of deal they'd struck with Erwin, but it was clearly still very important that they be trained in the ways of killing titans. None of the hoodlums appeared to have ever used a blade that exceeded the length of a dagger, and their attitudes were in no way cohesive with that of a proper soldier. Levi didn't properly listen to any of his superiors. Isabel didn't take jack shit seriously, and likewise Farlan seemed to regard the whole situation like some kind of temporary obstacle that would soon be irrelevant.

They all went at their training with zeal though.

A group that included the recently acquired street rats and Coral had gathered outside of a small copse of trees where several large training dummies had been placed.

Coral had managed to convince some of her superiors to let her do legitimate ODM training after she'd made it painfully clear just how familiar she already was with the equipment. The moment they'd tried to ferry her into the training sphere harness, Coral had turned and followed Levi's gang into the woods, which included Flagon and a few other veterans. The trainer, a rather timid but still knowledgeable man named Sam, had yelled out to her in confusion. Without answering, Coral had shot an anchor into a tree, tapped her gas carefully, before allowing her hips to carry her into the trees, whipping through them at breakneck speed and shooting over Levi's and the other's heads like a rock from a slingshot.

Behind her, Sam gaped and finally threw out an exasperated cry. "Oh, for crying out loud! Mike, she's your goddamn niece! You deal with her!" He'd proclaimed, turning his attention back to the newbies who were still trying not to faceplant in their training gear.

Hearing this, Levi turned his attention from where it had been previously trained on Coral's rapidly disappearing form. He glanced at the trainer who'd spoke.

Mike's niece, eh?

Without any more thought, Levi clicked a button on his gear and proceeded to follow Coral in the forest till he'd reached what appeared to be a starting zone for the cadets. Coral briefly glimpsed over her shoulder at Levi as he dropped to the starting area. Moments later, the rest of the squad had arrived.

Taking his swords out of their sheaths, Levi regarded both notched blades individually for a second in his hands before suddenly flipping them over and drawing them back along his wrists, wielding them the same way he no doubt did a knife in the Underground.

"What the hell are you doing?" Flagon demanded, "Those blades aren't designed to be held like that. Do you want to die as soon as you leave the walls?"

Levi's bored expression considered him briefly before he began walking towards the woods, blades still drawn.

"That might just happen to you..." He said lazily, regarding the trees ahead of him for a second.

"What did you just say?" Sputtered Flagon, stepping towards Levi, arms spread out like he was considering hitting Levi.

"All I have to do is slice the titan's neck, right?" Levi asked, bored eyes regarding Flagon and officer Hange Zoe, "I'll do it my way."

With a click of his gear, he shifted legs and launched himself into the trees. Coral gasped slightly, much to her own irritation, as he flew agilely into the air, spinning in a lazy downward circular glide before shooting his hooks out once more and whipping through the treetops like a spinning top that had just been released from its string.

Mike and Erwin hadn't been joking. He was quick and operated his gear without issue or hesitation. On top of all that, he was clearly self taught, which was remarkable in and of its own right.

Now thoroughly intrigued, Coral and the others were quick to follow. Hange was behind her geeking out like a complete psychopath, clearly just as impressed with Levi's skill as she was. Coral ignored her as she glared daggers into Levi's back. His crest was that of the Wings of Freedom, while she was still wearing a cadet training jacket. Growling in combined anger and jealousy, Coral pushed herself to catch him. She watched as a large target dummy dropped almost directly in front of Levi. They were both forced to course correct. Levi grunted and dodged underneath the target before charging upwards to land lightly on a tree branch.

Once again, he flipped the blades in his hand so that the grip was faced downwards. Less than a second later, he sprung from the tree while simultaneously whipping out his blades and sliced through the "nape" of the titan with incredible speed and precision.

Coral had had to swing around to avoid the dummy as it dropped. She cursed to herself seeing the now destroyed target and shot an anchor behind her, ripping her back onto the course and heading towards the next dummy.

What complete and utter bullshit, she seethed, thinking of the effortless way Levi had just operated and successfully executed a training kill. It wasn't the same as killing a real titan clearly, but to be fair she'd yet to do that either. All her ODM "training" had been late night excursions swinging through the inner cities while avoiding MPs and then hurriedly replacing her gear in the storage shed. Hell! To be quite honest, hers and Levi's familiarity with the gear were both non formal and rather similar in nature.

That thought riled her up a little bit. Spotting the next target, she zoomed in on the piece of wood, still working to stay ahead of Levi and the others as they made their way through the woods. She wasn't sure if it was him behind her or not, but it didn't matter. It was time to prove to everyone that she was just as capable if not more so than they all thought she was.

Tucking herself through a rather narrow gap between some branches deftly, Coral shot an anchor up, then used her downward momentum to drop in an arc, whirling sideways with her blades and taking out a triangular chunk from the dummy's neck. Watching the chunk fall to the ground, she shot her now retracted hooks back out ahead of her, carefully pulling her legs out of the way of the titan target before flying upwards yet again, barreling through the trees without hesitation or fear.

Behind her, she could hear Hange whooping like a crazed woman. "Nice one, Snakey! Show that dummy who's boss!"

Cringing at Hange's zeal and corny nickname, Coral flipped around mid air to smirk at her and the others. It was just a brief moment before she whipped back around, but it was almost enough to be a severe mistake. Turning back to face front, Coral gasped as a branch nearly clocked her directly in the face. She ducked quickly, heart racing as the branch passed mere inches from her face.

"OH! Wooohooooohooo!" cackled Hange, "Careful, Coral!"

Much to Coral's irritation, Hange wasn't the only one who noticed. To her far right, she could hear Levi's dry "tch" as she righted herself and swung past the tree narrowly.

"Watch where you're going, you moron." Levi criticized.

Coral turned briefly to glance at him and saw his customary judgmental scowl. It made her blood boil.

"Cram it, Professor Puke!" She barked, shooting out another hook before swinging into the air then dropping softly next to the training area.

"Professor Puke?" Levi repeated, clear disgust causing his brow to wrinkle up as he too landed by the outskirts of the forest. He took a few steps towards Coral after landing, clearly not intimidated by her in the least. She didn't move. "What kind of stupid brat would come up with a childish insult like that?" He asked coldly, sheathing his blades

"What? I thought it was befitting. After all, I feel like puking every time I see you."

"I'd expect nothing less from some filthy little strumpet with an attitude problem."

Hange quickly darted between the two, waving her arms crazily and laughing hysterically. "Holy crap, but you guys sure are feisty today! C'mon now, we're all soldiers and comrades here, right?" She cackled, wrapping her arm around Coral's shoulders. She attempted to do the same to Levi, but the rather irate looking man dropped himself underneath her arm quick as a flash before immediately marching off across the training ground looking decidedly rancorous. Soldiers across the field eyed him with barely contained fear and scuttled away from the seething cadet.

"Geez!" Hange exclaimed as they both watched his retreating form, "Such passion! Such skill! I can't wait to work with that guy some more!"

Coral huffed at the thought, arms still crossed while Hange hung off of her like an accessory. "You've got to be kidding me, Hang." She managed to bite out, sheathing her blades. "The guy's a nasty, runty little dick."

"But he's taller than you, Coral." Hange pointed out.

Coral sniffed. "Not that much! Plus I have growing to do. I don't like him, Hang. That shit head pipsqueak isn't going to do anything but drag us down. Mark my words. Him and his weaselly little shit head friends are up to something."

"Up to something?" Hange quipped, turning to look at Coral with renewed interest.

Coral shook her head dismissively. She wasn't sure yet just how much information she should reveal about the gang's strange conversation in the barracks. "I dunno...just...I heard that buddy of Levi's—Farlan, I think is the one...He said something weird the other day. Made me think that those three aren't trustworthy."

Hange snorted in a truly unladylike manner. "Ya think? I mean, they were just some thieves a few days ago. They didn't come here willingly. I heard Mike and Erwin gave them a real rough time of it."

"Really?" Coral inquired, glancing up at the tall brunette as she adjusted her glasses on her nose. "How rough of a time?

Hange shrugged. "I don't know too many specifics. All I know is that when those three showed up, Farlan and Isabel looking relatively untouched, but Levi looked like he'd been dragged through a gutter. He was covered in dirt and his whole head and front were soaked like he'd fallen face first into a bucket or something. I don't know what your uncle and Erwin did to him, but I imagine it took some time to break that man." Hange finished, nodding at Levi's distant form.

Grimacing at the thought slightly, Coral stared after him considering just what had happened between her uncle and that sour little gang leader. Whatever it was it might explain the short man's unusually hostile nature towards her.

Mike and Erwin were gruff and oftentimes blunt in their soldierly manner, but they were both important to her. Mike for obvious reasons, and Erwin for being the man who'd allowed Mike to keep his ragtag niece in a military encampment. Had it been anyone else, Coral knew she probably would have ended up stuck somewhere her uncle wasn't. The thought was unsettling and scary. She owed so much to both of them, and she wasn't about to let some shitty little ghetto rats like Levi and his crew ruin the Scouts she knew and loved. Coral knew their type of mentality. She knew exactly the kind of survivalist instinct that constantly niggled in the back of the mind of an Underground resident. If they were anything like her in that regard, Levi and his team were figuring out a way to make this whole situation benefit them in some way. Plus, judging by Levi's disposition, he likely wouldn't care who he hurt in his efforts to get back on top of the food chain. From what she could tell, the only people he gave a damn about were Isabel and Farlan. She wasn't sure what angle they were employing yet, but she was determined to figure it out.

A loud smack on her back knocked the wind out of Coral and brought her back to the present. "Hahahaa, Snakey. Look at you! You haven't stopped thinking ever since shortstuff stomped off! If I didn't know any better, I'd think you had a thing for our new crime lord!"

"Tch! As if!" Coral sneered and smacked Hange playfully upside her head. "The hell would you know, you mad scientist! Go kiss a titan!"

Levi felt like breaking something. After his brief but infantile feud with Mike's annoying ass niece, he'd quickly veered past the other soldiers at the encampment and made his way to a bathroom. He wanted to wash his face badly and calm himself. His knuckles clenched slightly as he thought about that girl he'd argued with by the woods.

Coral...that ass wipe Mike's niece.

It stood to reason that she was as much of pain in the ass as he was. After all, the man had literally burst through a crumbling stone wall and rammed Levi in mid air in order to apprehend him back in the Underground. Then he'd obediently stood behind Levi and ground his face into the muck of the street as Erwin had interrogated him. They'd treated him like a dog, like some mangy street cur that had dared to nip at their ankles and needed a swift kick.

And then there was that girl…

Levi growled unconsciously as he pushed the bathroom door open none too gently before he walked to the sink and wrested the handle open so that cold water flowed. Coral for some reason was even more irritating to him than even that piece of shit Mike. She knew next to nothing about him and his friends aside from that they were from the Underground, but apparently that was plenty for her. Obviously, it wasn't just that though. She was clearly jealous. Something to do with joining the scouts and his gang's easy admittance into the ranks. She was just some shitty military brat all hopped up on patriotic bullshit and false honor.

Sniffing in irritation, he dipped his hands under the water and splashed it on his face, smoothing back the long black bangs that framed his face and placing his hands on the rim of the sink. To his left, he could tell there were a few male recruits staring at him muttering, likely spreading more idiotic rumors about his criminal record. His fingers dug into the sink's edge before turning to stare at the offending individuals. The cadets stopped their whispering when he looked at them, and then quickly pushed their way out of the bathroom. Finally alone, Levi looked back at the mirror, closely inspecting his tired, stressed out eyes in the glass.

He wasn't usually like this. He was normally calm, collected, untouchable...but ever since those scouts had come flying out of the sky, leather boots dropping into his back and pushing him into the dirt like an insect, he'd felt his previous nature bubbling to the surface. The way he used to be before Farlan and Isabel had found him…

His fingers ached to grab a dagger and slice through his problems.

What the hell was it about all these soldiers that vexed him so much? Specifically that fiery little twit Coral.

He could tell she'd been purposely tagging around near him and his friends. She was careful how she did it, but he knew she was watching him...waiting for him or the others to fuck up.

She was just a fucking kid, but there was something about the way she handled herself and talked that really irked him and made him want to lash out like a petulant child. He hated when he couldn't control his own emotions, and there was something about that shitty little redhead with the sun streaked hair that made it nearly impossible to rein them in. He was acting like an amateur.

It's just the stress of all this getting to me, Levi reasoned to himself. After all, he and the others had a finite amount of time in which to steal those papers from Erwin and then kill him. Still, there was no point in stressing out about some uptight nosy brat who needed to learn manners.

"Levi?"

A voice behind him called out tentatively and Levi turned to look as Farlan entered the bathroom.

"Oh, there you are! Isabel and I have been looking all over. We couldn't find you after that training bout in the woods. You okay?" He asked suddenly, taking in Levi's still wet face and bangs, matched with his vexed expression.

"I'm fine. Let's go. We all need to talk anyway." Levi responded curtly, brushing past Farlan and back out into the yard.

Coral had returned to her barracks briefly, dropping off her gear till she only had her straps on before she emerged back out onto the grounds. It was starting to get dark and the dusky sunset light was making it kind of difficult to spot any of the three people she was looking for. A few of the cadets were milling around the yard, but most everyone was heading toward the mess hall for dinner. Coral had a hunch though that her quarry wouldn't be with the other soldiers.

Near the encampment HQ, she quickly spotted Erwin. He was briskly walking from the officer's building, heading where exactly she wasn't sure.

"Oi!" Coral called out to him, jogging briefly till she was in step with him. "So you consider my question yet, blondie?"

Erwin sighed, "Now is really not a great time, Coral."

She looked up, examining the growing bags under her leader's eyes and realized he wasn't just brushing her off. He looked stressed and worn out. "You calling it quits early, I hope?"

He nodded. "I have an early meeting tomorrow and a lot of paperwork to fill out. I'm gonna grab some tea from the mess hall and then call it a night."

"Meh." Coral said flatly, before skipping off to the building he'd just exited, "Get some rest, old man!" She called out, opening a door and disappearing inside.

Erwin shook his head and proceeded towards the cafeteria now bustling with soldiers, not even bothering to question why she going into a building that was primarily reserved for officers.

Coral slipped into the building quietly, her leather boots making minimal noise as she walked down the carpeted hallways. She wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting. She hadn't seen anything suspicious around the grounds so far, but she knew that if she were a sneaky no good thief like she used to be THIS would be the time for sneaky no good thief like doings. Most of the officers were either in town or doing paperwork in their own quarters. The cadets and veteran soldiers were mostly in the mess hall, showers, or even in bed already. If Levi and his little band of villains were here for nefarious purposes then whatever they were planning would likely take place at a time such as this and in an important building like this. Besides, Erwin's quarters were in here, and this likely revolved around him-she'd be willing to bet on it.

Periodically checking doors, making sure to avoid the offices of superiors she knew would still be working, Coral scanned the building's first floor before making it to the second. She turned down the first wing and started to make a left towards where Erwin's office when she suddenly noticed a shadow dancing on the wall opposite. Inhaling a sharp hiss, Coral dropped back up against the wall and peered ever so slightly down the corridor. Standing in the relative dying light of the sun that shone through the windows were Levi and Isabel. They both appeared to be standing watch in the hallway, nonchalantly leaning back against the walls near Erwin's office.

The hell? Coral thought, dipping back behind the wall as Isabel's head turned to look back in her direction. She held her breath hoping she hadn't seen her. After a few seconds of continued silence, Coral waited until she heard the sound of a door clicking open and then gradually sliding closed. Outside, the sun finally dipped below the walls and there was nothing but flickering candle light in the hallways and oppressive silence.

She could hear Levi and his friends talking suddenly, albeit very quietly. She couldn't hear what they'd said, but judging by the volume of their voices they were walking back her direction. Cursing, she darted down the hall and hid in the second wing as they passed by, heading for the stairs that led back down. She watched them descend before walking back to the hall they'd previously occupied. Narrowing her eyes on Erwin's office, she stalked over to it and quickly jiggled the handle. Just as she thought. It was now locked.

But her eyes hadn't deceived her. If she'd thought those three were up to something before then now she had no doubts. They were planning something and it apparently involved Erwin Smith, and there was no scenario she could think of where that would turn out to be a good thing.

Nostrils flaring slightly at the idea, Coral started to make her way to the exit. Would she tell Erwin?

And tell him what?

She lightly jogged down the stairs still considering her position. Erwin knew these three were criminals. He was very likely aware of the fact that they would undoubtedly have some vengeful thoughts towards him and his person. If she walked up to him now and told him that she'd been stalking Levi and his gang for the past few days like some weird ass he might factor that into his decision to accept her into the Scouts. She didn't need him thinking she was some unstable little gutter rat like Levi and his pals who didn't know how to follow orders or stay within her lane.

BUT the fact remained though that Levi and the others were up to something, and she still wasn't sure what it was.

Cursing, she emerged back onto the first floor, only to realize the gang wasn't anywhere to be seen. Hoping intuition would guide her, Coral stole away down the far right corridor, looking for signs of their passing. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of a hatch closing reached her ears. A hatch?

The storage room!

Hastening her steps, Coral quickly emerged into one of the equipment storage rooms that was restricted to officer use. She glanced around, hoping against hope that no officers found her here. The implications wouldn't be good.

Carefully lifting the hatch door that led down into the lower storage cellar, Coral peeked through and made sure no one was still near the opening. Apparently they'd walked further into the cellar where it was darker and more private. She cursed again. It would be hard to wriggle down that ladder past the hatch without making any noise, but she had to if she wanted to hear what those fuck heads were up to. They were proving to be an extreme pain to try and tail.

Lifting the hatch and placing it down as carefully as she could, she peeked down and cleared the area before using both arms to drop herself down instead of touching the ladder. With a soft plunk, she dropped onto a nearby storage crate and slipped down behind it. She could finally hear quiet voices near the back corner of the cellar. Crouching, she deftly snaked her way through the massive boxes full of military equipment until she'd reached an area close enough to the three where she could hear but was still very much hidden from view. Pressed into the shadows, she slowed her breathing to virtually nothing and strained her ears.

"-don't know if Erwin wears a stomach band, but it's highly likely he's keeping them on him."

Stomach band? Coral frowned. It was common practice among Underground residents to hide their most important personal belongings in areas that were more difficult to reach. Pick pockets were a huge concern among the subterranean folk, and it simply made sense to either not carry anything of value or hide it entirely. But why would Erwin need a stomach band to hide something, and what the hell were these punks hoping to lift off of him? Whatever they were talking about, it was likely the reason why she'd just caught them snooping through Erwin's office. Whatever they'd been looking for, they hadn't found it.

Farlan continued talking, "And so I was thinking...we could use the expedition to our advantage. While we're out there, Erwin and the others will be focused on titans. We just have to wait for a clear opportunity."

Isabel exclaimed in approval, "I see! Great idea!"

"You okay with that? Levi?" Coral could hear Farlan inquire, reserved tone clearly indicating it was up to their leader to make the final decision.

Coral could hear Levi's smooth yet calculated reply. "Sure."

She'd heard enough. Quickly weaving her way back to the ladder underneath the hatch, she hopped nimbly from the top of a nearby crate to one of the rungs before pulling herself back through in one swift motion.

Levi and the others didn't talk for much longer after Farlan divulged his plan to Levi. He'd told them how he intended to deal with Erwin alone and swiftly left. Farlan and Isabel protested of course, but he ignored them both and emerged into the courtyard ahead of them.

He took a few steps onto the porch and gazed out to the strange sight that was The Walls. He'd been on the surface for a while now, but he was still nowhere near used to it yet. Seeing those walls instead of the damp dank surface of a cave wall bathed in unnatural underground light was taking some serious adjusting too.

In comparison to the sky though, the walls were nothing. Here lately, Levi felt like an insect whose rock had been turned over. He'd waited his whole life to get out of that hole, and he hated that his body was so unused to natural sunlight. Hell! Even the light of the moon was so bright it actually hurt his eyes for a few brief moments.

Allowing his vision to adjust, Levi turned away from the sky and immediately noticed a slight figure leaning up against a wall on the opposite side of the yard, quietly watching him. Farlan and Isabel emerged behind him, but they didn't seem to see the coolly waiting silhouette in the distance.

"Bro!" Isabel griped, "You can't just say stuff like that and then walk away!"

Levi was already tired of their constant arguing and sighed at her outburst. "You two, get some food and go to bed. I'm done talking about it tonight. If you still want to whine about it tomorrow then I might listen then. Otherwise, go the hell away."

Sulking petulantly, Isabel stuck her tongue out at him like a four year old and huffed off to the mess hall. Farlan wearily following behind her. His eyes had an expression in them though that told Levi that their discussion clearly wasn't over.

Watching his friends depart, Levi made sure they were a safe distance away before he strolled over to the leaning figure who had been watching them all in interest.

"It's generally frowned upon for wanted criminals to go skulking around officer headquarters at night, cadet."

He could finally make out her face in the moonlight as her heavily weighted words walked threateningly past his ears. He had to begrudgingly admit to himself that leaning with her arms crossed under her breasts like that, Coral was rather stunning under the white light of the moon. She had her messy auburn locks drawn back behind her ears, and the light landed on her face in such a way that he could still see the green of her eyes glaring out at him like the eyes of a predator in tall grass.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Levi retorted with just enough spite to let her know that her presence was unwelcome.

"You've got a sharp tongue, Levi. I can't wait till the titans cure that smarmy wit of yours."

Levi almost appeared interested for a second as he regarded her, arms crossed haughtily over his chest as usual, "How's that?"

Coral's eyes narrowed slightly and she pushed off the wall. She walked forward till she was directly in front of him and the moonlight bathed her entire person. Levi couldn't help but admire her for a second. Not only was she a rather extreme specimen of a young woman, but she was gutsy as all hell...for a brat. He'd never known many men or women for that matter who weren't afraid to stand toe to toe with him.

"I'm not sure what all you and your buddies saw while you were in the Underground...I'm sure the vast majority of it wasn't good. After all, the Underground is a shitty little hellscape that most of these surface fucks haven't got a clue about,"she said the last part with enough vitriol and conviction that Levi was forced to do a double take.

Had this girl seen the underground before?

"However," she continued, arms still tightly lashed against one another under her chest, "The land beyond the walls is all Titan country. They control it. Not us. They're mindless savage giants that don't know fear and don't know regret. When you guys go out beyond the walls, it's just as likely that you might die as it is for the idiot newbie to the left or right of you. Sometimes people's luck just runs out. I've seen it a hundred fucking times now, Levi." She switched her gaze from the building behind him so that she was staring directly in his platinum gray eyes, "I haven't seen a titan yet, but I've seen what they can do. If you and your buddies go out there acting like you're all tough shit and start moving independently of the team as a whole, you're all gonna fucking die."

For a brief second, he wondered if this girl knew he and the others were planning something, or if she was simply referring to their general lackadaisical manner regarding training lately. He decided it must be the latter. If she was convinced they were up to something, she no doubt would have run off and told Big Uncle and Captain Eyebrows by now.

Without looking back into her gleaming eyes, Levi took a brief step past her side before replying curtly. "Thanks for the advice, brat."

Huffing under his breath, Levi took off past the girl, making his way towards his friends and ignoring the look of contempt Coral continued to shoot at him.

"Fucking prick," she grumbled quietly, watching as he disappeared into the dark.

Coral had no clue what those three were up to, least of all Levi. The guy was an enigma wrapped in a mystery buried in a riddle. His eyes rarely dropped emotional hints regarding his motivation, but she was certain that HE was the one she needed to keep her eyes on specifically. Isabel and Farlan were lackeys as far as she was concerned. Whatever pivotal points of their operation needed executing would be executed by Levi. Of that she was certain.

Coral thought back to Farlan mentioning the upcoming expedition. That had to be the one he was referencing. Mike had already let slip to her that Levi and his gang would be joining the scouts on their next excursion past the walls. Coral had been angry enough to chew nails. Not only were they hopping right into the Scouts with barely any training, but they were also being allowed to accompany them on a dangerous trip outside the wall.

Cursing, Coral questioned why in the name of the Walls Erwin was being so reckless with this group of misfits? The soldier she knew was collected and always had a plan, so what the hell was he thinking dragging these unpredictable variables into the equation?

Sighing, Coral shook her head of the multitude of questions that kept threatening to drown her. The important thing was that she knew Levi and his friends were planning to do something on that expedition and she needed to be there when it happened. That was a problem though of course. Technically, she wasn't a scout yet. As of right now, Erwin had given her no answer and she was still a cadet in training, but there was no fucking way she was gonna let those three out of her sight. Somehow, someway she was going to go on that expedition and whatever it was they were scheming—she was gonna kill it in its tracks.

++For once, I'm on a roll here, people. Please tell me what you think!

-Saber


	4. Why Mourn the Dead?

Chapter Four—Why Mourn the Dead?

Who in the fuck would be stupid enough to try to sneak outside the walls with the Scouts?

Me.

That's who.

Coral glanced around at her fellow troops. Their expressions were a wide range of emotions that seemed to range from excitement to outright terror. Well ahead of her, she could see Levi, Isabel, and Farlan grouped together and waiting alongside the rest. At the front of their formation was Shadis belting out another one of his rousing speeches. Coral could barely pay attention to him. She was too busy staring at the now steadily opening gate. The tunnel to the outside world...an area she'd never once set foot in.

Wind billowed out of the opening while white light streamed through, impossibly bright and reminiscent of the skylights that Coral could remember staring up into in the Underground. Her heart started to pound without her permission.

Taking a deep breath, Coral pulled her riding gloves tighter. Her attention turned to the black gloves for a second. Mike had bought them for her last year as a birthday present. She clung to the memory, intent on using it to relieve the pounding in her chest.

After leaving the Underground, the subject of Coral's birthday had come up one day somehow. Neither Coral nor Mike had any clue what her actual birthday was. She herself had never actually known her own age. To be fair, in the Underground it had never mattered. Her first memories were jumbled and chaotic to say the least. She'd been in an orphanage for a number of years, but their records had been shoddy at best—not to mention, almost always confidential. After leaving the Underground, Coral had come to a revelation early on that many of the kids who were dumped down those stairs were "mistakes." Dirty little reminders of civil misdeeds and horrifying scandals. Children whose existence was neither wanted nor welcomed.

So when it came time for the kids to know who their parents were, it was generally a hodgepodge of secrecy and lies. As for Coral's situation, it was no better. No one had even properly dropped her off at the orphanage. No paperwork of any kind had been filled out apparently. All they could tell her was that someone had found her in an alley and brought her there.

The sheer vagueness of their answer had been frustrating enough, but to know that her own mother had dumped her in an alley like a sack of garbage…

When Coral told Mike what the orphanage had told her about her birth, he'd wrinkled up his face and turned away in shame. She could tell he was doing his best to understand his sister and her decisions. It hurt him all the more because he had no answers. He hadn't been there for any of it. His life as a soldier had prevented him from seeing his family for so many years that Margaret and her baby's existence had never been revealed to him. His sister's sudden disappearance so many years ago had been a heartbreaking and horrific experience. One that he wasn't keen on mentally revisiting.

Coral, seeing her Uncle's pain had smiled at him and giggled—a rare event for the brooding child. "It's okay, Mike. I know exactly what day my birthday is."

He'd stared at her in shock briefly, one eyebrow lifted inquisitively. Had she just been joking with him this whole time?

"It's the day you found me. That's my birthday. Nothing before that really matters anyway."

He'd actually gotten a little glossy eyed when she'd said it, wrapping her in his arms and kissing the top of her head. "Sounds good, kiddo."

Gritting her teeth, Coral wrapped the reins of her horse tightly in her hands.

That was why she had to do this!

She couldn't let Levi and his friends destroy everything! The Scouts were the only home she'd ever known. She couldn't just tell Mike and Erwin and not be there herself to protect them. If she'd mentioned the gang's plans to them she knew they would have just told her to stay home while they took care of it...again!

No more.

"We will now begin the 23rd expedition outside the walls! Forward, everyone!"

The roar of soldiers filled the air followed by the intense pounding of horse hooves galloping in unison over the cobblestone roads. Coral bent low over her horse's neck, pulling her hood over her face even further. Thankfully, Mike had had a spare cloak. There would have been no way for her to make it out of the walls without the Wings of Freedom on her back. She felt bad that this was the first way they were gracing her shoulders, but she knew she had no choice. There was no going back now.

There was a noisy whoosh of air as the scouts and their horses cleared the inside of the tunnel in the walls, and then suddenly…

Lifting her head and checking briefly to make sure no one had noticed her yet, Coral's eyes widened at the sight before her. Rolling hills as far as the eyes could see. Trees in every direction, and distant mountains encircling the valley like grand sentinels. The air was so clean, it reminded her of jumping into a cold pond. Her breath hitched momentarily in her throat as she beheld the overwhelming size of her world.

"Holy shit..." Coral breathed to herself, unconsciously sitting up further to look at everything. She was suddenly reminded that she wasn't supposed to be there when one of the scouts to her right seemed to turn and glance at her curiously. Cursing quietly, she huddled back down against her horse and tried to act like she'd seen this sight a million times before.

Though it was hard to hear over the sound of horses, Coral could tell she wasn't the only one in awe of her surroundings. Ahead of her group, she could hear Farlan and Isabel's excited exclamations. It didn't surprise her at all that she couldn't hear anything from Levi.

Coral grimaced to herself thinking of the way he'd talked to her the night before. He was always so dismissive and defensive. The only ones who seemed to be able to get through to him were his friends. That was the part that really confused her. Levi, no doubt a hardened murderer, running around with two dopey ass kids who treated him like he was their father. It didn't make any goddamn sense. She would have just chocked it up to coincidence if it weren't for those dead fucking eyes of his. Levi had the eyes of someone who'd seen so much shit and lived through so much heartache and pain that they had damn near given up. He'd been down in that underground shit show for too long.

That was how it worked down there though. Every year you stayed, pieces of you would die until eventually there were no more pieces. You either escaped or you stayed there till you rotted. Every day you ventured into the underground city, you could see it happening. People whose legs no longer seemed to work. They'd lie on the streets like pieces of scattered driftwood, eyes vacant and barely breathing. Eventually you learned to not stare at people like that. They were already dead anyway. What good was it to dwell on the dead? It didn't bring them back, it didn't change anything, and it certainly never helped them.

Eventually thoughts like that would just start to snowball in the head of an Underground resident till eventually you were almost as dead-eyed as the people on the street. Enough heartache and enough pain can break the will of even the strongest person.

Coral could see that in Levi's stare. The way he hid his emotions behind a thick layer of resolve. Seeing those cold eyes of his had rattled her and she knew it. That first day he'd locked gazes with her on the stage, her old fears had started swimming back to the surface of her mind, teasing and tickling her security till it started to break down again. It just didn't feel like coincidence—him and his friends showing up. They were an unpleasant reminder that the Underground still existed, and that there were still people down there, rotting in the streets like bruised pieces of fruit littering the ground underneath the foot of a merchant vendor.

She hated thinking about it, but the fact remained. She wasn't sure if it was guilt that made her feel like this. Did she feel bad that she'd gotten out but people like Levi and Isabel and Farlan hadn't for so long? Would she really be that much different from them if she'd stayed down there as long as they had?

Coral's incessant train of thoughts were knocked off the rails when she heard it. The pounding of titan footfalls.

Jerking her head up to look past the upright ears of her dapple gray horse, Coral could see him...IT bearing down on the group of scouts. It looked human sure enough just like her comrades had told her, but there was just so much more to it than that. The sheer size of a titan was intimidating enough, but the true physical terror you experienced upon seeing one was unlike anything Coral had ever experienced before. Her whole body started to shake and rattle, pulse quickening till all she could hear was the sound of her own blood pounding almost in rhythm with the beast's feet which smacked the earth like colossal pistons. It was as though one of those distant mountains had suddenly sprung feet and begun moving of its own accord, so truly monstrous was its existence.

Its mannerisms and gait were freakishly disturbing on top of its enormous size. It staggered and skipped towards them like a child chasing its favorite ball. Glazed wild eyes rolling and bulging in its massive head as it focused in on its prey, arms waving with abandon. But worst of all was its horrible mouth. It's grotesque maw was twisted into a dopey grin that revealed horrifying teeth as wide as tree trunks.

Coral finally knew first hand what it was like to truly fear a titan.

"Get in formation!" Yelled one of the scouts to her left, and Coral panicked momentarily.

Fuck! Formation? I wasn't there for the briefing. I have no fucking clue what formation they're talking about!

Deciding to just play along with the others, she followed one of the groups that veered off to her left. Bending low and into her horse's strong gait, Coral held onto her hood as the group of scouts tried to avoid the oncoming titan. Suddenly, another cry rang out. Two more coming up behind them!

"Two 10 meter class, squad leader! From the rear!" Yelled one of the scouts, turning to look at the oncoming giants.

Coral mimicked the scout, spinning in her saddle to see that there were indeed two more titans lumbering through the trees.

They make these trees look so small. Coral thought to herself in utter horror.

Fighting these things out here was going to be extremely difficult. She was going to have to use as much of her momentum as she possibly could if she stood any chance of flying high enough to get a proper strike on one of their napes, and the true danger was going to be right within that inevitable area—that massive wingspan of free space around its body that was within the titan's range. You couldn't just focus purely on the attack portion of your approach with real titans like this like you could with the dummies. After all, a dummy wouldn't try to snatch your ass in mid air…

She turned back to look at the first titan ahead of the group. It seemed to have veered into the trees. She watched as a few of the soldiers up front engaged their equipment, obviously intending to kill it. Suddenly, there was a loud pop followed by a bright red flare shooting up into the sky. Coral stared at it quizzically.

It must have to do with that formation they were talking about. Using those as warning signals Erwin can control our regiment so that it moves cohesively thereby avoiding unnecessary confrontation. He's a fucking genius!

Her musings were cut short at the sound of a titan landing face first. It's steaming corpse caused the whole area to shudder briefly, which in turn made her horse stumble slightly. She watched as Flagon flew past the dead titan, malice in his eyes.

Impressive, Flagon. Cool to finally see you in real action.

Flagon started yelling at another group of scouts. From the looks of it, they had to be Farlan and Isabel. They were frantically watching as someone on a black horse shot behind all of them, heading straight for the two 10 m tall titans coming up from their rear.

Coral turned on her horse to stare as Levi streaked towards the titans, engaging his 3DM gear as he did so. In a second he had shot one anchor forward that flew directly between the two behemoths, striking a short tree in the distance. Leaping from his horse, he then used his momentum to wrap one of his cords onto the ankle of one of the passing titans thereby using the titan's own body as a fulcrum and swinging high into the air above its head. Levi rolled sideways, arms held far back before swinging viciously into the titan's neck and causing it to stagger and fall. He was back up in the air quickly, looking back down the thinning valley to where Farlan and Isabel were engaging the second titan.

Coral watched in horror as that same titan managed to grab onto Isabel's legs. Thankfully, she managed to slash its hand off and free herself. A second later and Farlan had used the titan's lack of attention towards its own detriment. In moments, its steaming corpse painted the grass with blood and chunks of gore. Levi dropped to the ground next to the carcass, eyes wide and mouth partially agape as he stared at his friends. He was just as surprised by them as everyone else was.

To her side, Coral could hear Flagon and another woman echoing her own sentiments.

"I'm beginning to understand why Erwin was so insistent on them joining us," Coral could hear Flagon saying to his companion as they all sat on their horses staring at Levi and his friends. Two titans dead between them. One of them taken out by Levi alone and on their very first attempt.

Coral reined her horse back, moving behind everyone in the hopes no one would take any notice of her. Out of the trees, Erwin rode up to the three standing next to their dead titan trophies; corpses still hissing piles of odious flesh.

He looked at the dead titans and then back to Levi and his merry little crew. Coral couldn't hear everything they said, but she was extremely satisfied to see Levi's normal stoic expression drop as Erwin talked to him. His mouth dropped open ever so slightly as he stared after Erwin and the others retreating forms. Whatever Erwin had said to him had clearly struck a nerve. Coral was relieved to know that there were ways of chipping away at Levi's rock hard wall of emotional resolve.

Guess you're not unflappable after all, runt.

The scouts quickly reformed, knowing it was pure foolishness to stand around in titan country. Coral fell back into formation behind Flagon and the others. She was determined to not lose sight of them. Just ahead of them were Erwin and Mike. Nearby were Levi and his two lackeys. Coral had to try and keep her eyes on them if this wasn't gonna be a complete disaster for her and everyone else. She still had no clue what they were planning on doing, but the conversation in the cellar had made it clear they were going to use the chaos of the Scout's predicament to their strategic advantage. If she had to guess, they were only waiting for the right moment, and she had to be there when they finally chose it.

Her attention was ripped away from the tree when suddenly a rain drop splashed on her hand. Surprised, Coral looked at her hand and then turned her eyes to the sky. Fat raindrops started to hit her face in rapid succession.

"Shitting Hell!" Coral cursed, turning her head back down and pulling her cloak closer to her body. Within minutes, she was riding through a steady downpour. She could barely see past the head of her own horse, let alone spot the group of criminals who she'd been able to place about 10 meters away from her mere moments before. There were a few scouts still to her left, but as far as where Levi, Erwin, Mike, and the others were she was at a complete loss. She couldn't see a goddamn thing. If titans were to show up right now they'd all be dead.

"Goddammit!" Her cursing only worsened as another thought occurred to Coral. This rainstorm was the exact sort of thing Levi and his gang were sure to use to their advantage. If they were intending to go after the commander, then this was their best chance of doing it without anyone knowing how or by whom.

Hissing and tapping on her horse's left flank to change his course, Coral urged him to where she'd last seen the trio riding before the rain had started. There was no one to be seen. Trying to think, Coral directed her gaze to the ground and spotted what appeared to be at least 3 sets of horse prints veering left back where she'd come from.

Bingo.

Coral slowed her horse slightly as she followed the prints, eyes darting rapidly between the ground and the treetops. She was still trying to be vigilant even as hopelessly fucked as the situation was. Suddenly, she spotted one set of prints going off on their own.

Levi!

There was no time to follow him though…

Coral's horse, having reached a slick puddle of blood in the earth suddenly stumbled heavily. Within moments, Coral had been tossed forward over the head of her tumbling horse, limbs and hooves crumpling as they both rolled over the ground.

Groaning, Coral lifted herself weakly onto her elbow and looked back at her horse who was currently struggling to right itself, one of its limbs hopelessly tangled in its own reins. Thankfully, they both seemed relatively unhurt, but her ribs were screaming at her and she was fairly certain her ankle was at least twisted. Moving to stand up and crying out as she did so, Coral's attention was immediately diverted from her pain when she heard the unmistakable voice of Farlan.

It sounded like he was screaming Isabel's name repeatedly. Stumbling forward, Coral looked to her right and saw it: an abnormal titan, claws wrapped around a bellowing Farlan. Face frozen in horror, Coral watched as the titan screeched and bit down on Farlan's midsection.

For a few moments it was like the whole world had stopped. Coral simply stood there watching, eyes twitching in her skull, unable to process what it was that she was really looking at. It was like staring directly into a nightmare. The murderous monster with lanky black hair and dead eyes was leaning forward, crouched on all fours like a wild animal. Farlan and his bloody viscera were still hanging from the titan's cavernous mouth, and for a truly horrible second, the man's eyes turned to look at Coral. The message in his eyes was painfully clear.

Run… she watched the word form on his mouth just as the titan proceeded to chomp into his chest once more.

Coral's feet started moving before her brain did. She rushed towards the titan, ODM gear engaging as she jumped, one hook flying towards the shoulder of the horrifying monster who still held Farlan in his jaws. Coral yelled as she went to land on its crouched back, but her breath was cut short when something smacked into her side. She flew sideways, agony causing stars to burst in her vision as pain coursed through the same side she'd already hurt.

Howling in pain, Coral somehow managed to stop herself from slamming into the trees by shooting another anchor blindly out behind her. It came into contact with what had hit her. Another titan, far smaller than the others. It had needed to jump to try to get her. It was the only reason she was still alive. If it had been taller and capable of grabbing her, it would have been all over.

"Fucking bastard!" She could her herself shrieking as she catapulted backwards, twisting in mid air with her blades drawn. "FUCKING DIE!"

Her fury at having been pulled away from the titan that ate Farlan drove her forward like a screeching banshee. Coral made a beeline for the smaller titan's neck, hacking so far into the nape that she nearly beheaded it. Her blades broke in half as they smacked into the rock like vertebrae of the titan but still she continued to drag them through, launching scalding bits of carnage that spewed out of the well of mutilated flesh like some kind of hellish geyser.

Coral could feel the spray hit her body, staining her clothes and drenching her. Swinging her feet forward and trying to ignore the screeching pain in her side, Coral swung herself to face back towards the other titan.

That was when she saw him…

Levi had clearly seen Farlan's corpse as it was being gnawed on. He was screaming the most tortured blood curdling yell Coral had ever heard, eyes trained on the titan with murder in his eyes, standing hunched over in the torrential rain. His movements after that were so fast Coral strained to keep up with them. It was like watching a master butcher in super speed. He slashed through the nape first, but he didn't stop there. Yelling brutal cries of agony, Coral watched as he dissected the titan like he was filleting a fish. He never stopped screaming as he did it, inhuman like strength and speed propelling him around the horrifically bent titan who raised off its front limbs and howled as Levi worked his magic. Within seconds, the head of the titan flew into the air as its lacerated limbs flailed disturbingly. He still wasn't done though.

Levi kept cutting, his tortured cries escalating with every swing of his blades. Coral's own blood lust began to withdraw till it was replaced with sheer horror as she watched him. She felt like she was staring at a wild animal. His feral screams caused her to shudder as he sliced the titans into tiny bits, pulverizing it to the point of ridiculousness.

When he was finally done, he stood next to the titan's hissing cadaver, panting and trembling in the rain, staring down at something Coral hadn't noticed earlier.

Following Levi's gaze, Coral looked down to see a small round object on the ground. It had pinkish red hair pulled back into short pigtails.

Coral's heart felt like it had stopped as she stared at Isabel's head laying on the ground, her eyes still wide in shock.

Oh, God...Levi…

Coral felt her feet moving forward once more. Levi's eyes never left Isabel's as she stepped up to his side. Tentatively reaching out a hand towards him, though still not daring to touch him, Coral slowly closed Isabel's eyelids with her free hand. She then took off her cloak and carefully covered the girl's disembodied head.

Still sobbing, Levi looked up at her finally, chest heaving to the point where it sounded like he was about to hyperventilate or simply explode. He was covered in gore too. Blood, either his or the titan's she wasn't sure, dripped down from his temple and pooled near his eyes. He looked like a devil from the deepest parts of Hell.

Coral was hesitant to try and touch him or offer consolation. The blood lust in his eyes was still there, mindless and demonic in its extremity.

Amid the sound of the rain, there suddenly came the sound of horses approaching. Coral looked away from Levi and was relieved to see Erwin, Mike and the others approaching; thankfully unhurt.

Erwin quickly dismounted and approached them, eyes growing wide at the sight of Coral.

"Coral!" He nearly yelled, spotting her and rushing forward.

Coral cursed, suddenly remembering how she'd taken her cloak off to cover Isabel. Regardless, he likely would have seen her anyway. Upon hearing Coral's name, Mike too dismounted and pushed past Erwin, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her like a doll.

"What in the fuck are you doing here, Coral!" He practically screamed at her, only stopping when she hissed in pain as his shaking agitated her likely broken rib cage and twisted ankle. His eyes immediately took in the amount of carnage surrounding her and her person. "Are you hurt?!" His hands immediately went for her face, while his eyes began scanning for signs of obvious damage.

"I'm fine, uncle." She assured him, removing his hands from her face. "Just a little beat up, okay?"

"You still haven't answered me, Coral. What in the hell are you doing out here?!"

Coral looked past her uncle's shoulder towards Levi. Her eyes were widening as she watched him. Distracted by his niece, Mike didn't see Levi's reaction to Erwin's appearance.

"I'll kill you!" The devastated man suddenly growled, springing to attack Erwin.

"LEVI! NO!"

Pushing past her uncle, Coral drew her broken blades and shot forward off of her still good ankle, pinning Levi against the now bare rib cage of the titan he'd just killed. She braced against his blade, pushing back with as much strength as she could before using his own strength to push his sword up and past her own shoulder causing them to both trip past each other and stumble downwards. Erwin's hands came up to grab Levi's sword as he returned for the kill, blood seeping out from between his fingers and he calmly looked into Levi's rabid face.

Reaching into his shirt suddenly, Erwin quickly tossed what appeared to be an important rolled up document with an official seal on it to the ground. Coral looked at the document in surprise.

The item they'd been searching for in Erwin's office...

He spoke simply to the raging raven-haired devil, never moving to attack back. "These documents revealing Lobov's crimes are a fake. The real ones have likely reached Darius Zackley by now. Lobov is finished."

Levi's entire body was now quaking with fury, "You knew everything right from the start?!" He spit out venomously at Erwin. "You knew we were after you—and yet YOU-!" He jumped forward again to attack Erwin, murder painting his features.

"No, goddammit!" Coral screeched, wrapping her arm around Levi's neck and dragging him backwards. Mike rushed to her aid, helping her to wrest the squirming mass of coiled muscle that comprised the enraged man. Together, they pushed him back till suddenly the pain of losing his friends broke through again, causing Levi to wobble and wilt in place. He continued to stare off into the distance at the broken and mangled bodies of his friends.

"Don't." Erwin told him flatly, "If you begin to regret, you'll dull your future decisions and let others make choices for you. All that's left for you then is to die. Nobody can foretell the outcome. Each decision you make holds meaning only by affecting your next decision. We're going to continue the expeditions. I expect you to come with me."

Speech finished, Erwin turned and walked away from the broken pile of a man in front of him. Levi gazed blindly ahead of him, expression vacant except for the raw horror that his eyes couldn't lose. "I don't understand..." He gasped out weakly, so quiet Coral almost didn't hear him.

The rain had finally stopped and dying sun light began to illuminate the horrific scene of carnage that they were still standing in. Tears started to course down Coral's cheeks, heart breaking as she gazed at the destruction in every direction. A body that looked distinctly similar to Flagon's was lying not far away from Farlan's. Corpses of both humans and titans littered the area, bits of flesh and gallons of blood coating the skin of the earth leaving behind nothing but fresh hell everywhere you looked. Coral started to shake like a leaf. She couldn't help it. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

Her stomach suddenly plummeted like a stone in water, and she dropped to her knees heaving as her senses were finally overwhelmed. The smell of the bodies and the heat of the blood and entrails coating the whole area made her head spin like a top. Mike grabbed her hair and held it against her scalp as she threw up on the ground in front of everyone. After she'd finished and her dry heaving had subsided, Coral choked on her words trying to talk to her uncle. "The bodies, Mike. We have to…they're everywhere. She's under my cloak, uncle...I closed her eyes, but she's still there...they're all gone! All of them! We—we have to take them back..."

Mike gathered her into his arms and pulled out a kerchief to wipe her face. "Come on, Coral. On your feet, love. You made this decision to come out here and now you have to accept it. This expedition isn't over yet. If we stay here we die, okay? You understand me?" Mike turned to look at Levi who was still sitting on his legs next to Isabel's severed head, "Same shit goes for you, Levi. I know you're basically a shell right now, but if you turn off you'll die out here alongside them and there's no way in hell your friends would want that."

That last part seemed to make a portion of Levi's short-circuited brain click for a second and he rose to his feet with a weak wobble. Together, they made their way over to the horses. Mike even helped Levi mount, lifting his boot into the stirrup and handing him the reins. He placed them in Levi's limp hands and spoke loudly, staring up into his face looking for recognition that Levi was still there. "Follow Erwin, Levi. Do it now."

Mike then slapped Levi's horse's rump before returning to Coral. With little to no effort he mounted and turned back to her and reached out his arm. "Put your foot in the stirrup and hold on to me, Coral." He demanded before hauling her up behind him.

She shuddered against his back as they left the scene of death, arms wrapping around his body as they flew off to catch up to the commander. "We're just gonna leave them?" She cried out, sobbing against his back.

"There's no time to mourn the dead, Coral. Not here..."

Her thoughts cleared as a familiar image from the past swam in her head. People lying broken in a dirty alley, limbs spread helplessly and eyes that couldn't see…

Mike was right. What good was it to dwell on the dead?

Coral's eyes darkened as another piece of her died…

++Well, I did say there would be gore, people. Hope you were ready for that. Input, please! Much love to all who bothered to read this far!

-Saber


	5. Hell

++Alrighty, folks. This is gonna be one of those chapters that employ my "artistic liberties." I couldn't find any real information that detailed what Levi's role was in the fall of Wall Maria, so I went ahead and let my imagination run wild. That being said, I'd love to hear what you guys think! I promise the romantic stuff will start happening soon. XD

Chapter Five- Hell

One Year Later

The city smelled like defeat and shame. The people had watched the Scout's return with disappointed and often disapproving expressions as the regiment—or what remained of it—proceeded through the gate. Coral sat atop the same dapple gray gelding she'd first rode past the walls. Her and the others reached headquarters and began to wearily dismount. She tried not to think about the wails of the mother she'd just heard. The woman had come running up to the group asking about her son. Keith Shadis had given her a bloody object wrapped in cloth. Coral had stared blankly at the severed arm the woman had begun to cry over. Another soldier. Another life. Another day.

The last year had been utter Hell, but things had still improved slightly. Following the maiden voyage of Erwin's new scout formation, casualties among the Scouts had in fact dropped. The numbers were still horrific though. Every outing past the walls still always spelled death for someone.

Coral had been so certain that Mike and Erwin were going to try and ban her from joining the scouts completely after she broke so many rules and went with them on that first expedition. They'd still punished her for impersonating a soldier, but between her performance on the field and the Scout's desperate need for members they'd both caved and eventually allowed her to join them again a few months later. Humanity's need for good soldiers had proven too important, and in the end they both knew it was selfish and stupid of them to try and prevent her from leaving the walls again. For a while, her life had been a blur of emotionless training and missions into the depths of Titan country.

The shield she'd placed around her emotions had steadily hardened with each outing. Coral thought back to the days when she'd been an excited new cadet, snatching her brand new uniform and holding it against herself like it was a life raft. The foolhardy little girl who'd rushed out past the walls without really understanding what it was to fight a titan. How could she have known? There was no way to put it to words. Now her entire world was made up of carnage and despair. She often found herself wondering why they were still doing this. Why they were still going out there into Hell…

A clap on the back of her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts and Coral turned to look up at her uncle Mike. Without saying anything, he nodded towards the barracks and pushed her lightly in its direction. She nodded in agreement but turned when another hand tapped her on the shoulder. One of the stable hands, a young kid named Gabriel reached for her reins. The scouts employed a large number of stable hands—mostly kids—who took care of their horses. Gabriel looked at Coral sadly and tried to smile reassuringly at her.

"I'll take care of Major for you, Coral," he said, brushing a hand down the animal's sweat drenched flanks. "Old boy looks like he could use a serious cool down."

Smiling weakly, Coral handed him the reins and made her way to the barracks. She didn't try to smile for many people anymore, but Gabriel was a good kid.

"Thanks, kiddo," she said, already taking off her green hood and loosening the painfully tight straps holding her ODM gear onto her body. She could tell she'd grown over this past year physically, but not vertically unfortunately. Instead, her hips and bust had started to swell much to her dismay. It had taken her weeks to figure out a comfortable placement for the straps of her gear. Too often it had felt like she was being strangled to death by her own damn tits. If she had to guess (and she did), Coral would have said she was probably about 18 now. There was no fucking tell though of course. Her body however, seemed to have finally reached its peak height. She was barely 5' 2" now. She knew that if it hadn't been for her early upbringing in the damned Underground, she likely would have been much taller, but it didn't help lamenting such inconsequential bullshit now.

Sighing, she made her way to her bunk. She didn't bother taking her gear to the quartermaster just yet. She wanted to check it herself before she handed it off. Instead, she placed it on her bed, dropping her bloodstained scout jacket on top of it lazily before heading to the showers with a bag of bathing accessories and a fresh towel.

Despite being completely exhausted and more than just a little depressed, she had to admit that getting clean, eating some food, and then heading to bed sounded like a wonderful idea. She was going to sleep for a year. Hopefully she was tired enough this time that she wouldn't dream. There were still too many visions of scattered dead bodies waiting in the recesses of her mind.

Pushing open the door to the shower house, Coral walked into a room full of lockers and benches. She was relieved to see she was the first one to arrive. Sighing as she plopped onto a bench, Coral proceeded to take off her filthy leather boots and left them under the bench. She stood up, kicking her socks the rest of the way off before going to unbutton her blouse. She had just managed to wrap a towel around herself when she heard the unmistakable sound of wet feet padding into the room behind her. Turning to see who had beaten her to the showers, Coral couldn't help but blanch at the sight of Levi walking into the locker room wearing nothing but a white towel and a grim expression. The two soldiers stared at each other blankly until finally Coral couldn't contain herself.

"The fuck are you doing in here, Levi?" She hissed, trying not to look down at Levi's half naked and still physically steaming skin.

Lord above, did he shower in actual LAVA?! Her brain screamed at her. She couldn't help but do a double take at his nicely toned body now so freshly scrubbed and raw it was still very pink in certain areas.

If he was surprised to see her, he made sure to not let on. He returned her gaze with one of boredom, like as though it should have been painfully obvious to her already why he was there.

"The men's shower is filthy," he said flatly, turning away from her and heading towards the lockers on the far wall.

Coral glowered after him. The nerve of this guy constantly astounded her. They hadn't seen each other much since their first departure past the walls. They'd both been placed in completely different squads, and aside from that they both did their best to avoid each other at all costs.

From what Coral could tell, ever since his friends had died, Levi's dedication to the Scouts seemed to be genuine. For a while after they'd all returned, she'd continued to keep an eye on him, but Levi clearly wasn't the same Levi from the Underground anymore. The words Erwin spoke to him on the field that day seemed to have worked, and although his venom and general detached nature didn't change much, Levi's attitude towards the scouting missions and humanity's goal shifted dramatically.

HOWEVER, Levi was still very much a loose canon in many regards. The only officer whose orders he seemed to respect were Erwin's, and everyone else could go fuck themselves apparently.

Noting his favorable change of demeanor towards the Scout Regiment, Coral eventually started to trust the raven-haired scout. At times she found herself wanting to reach out to him like she had that day when he'd stood there so helpless and broken, but a small part of her was afraid that Levi still saw her as a threat. Another part altogether warned her that he might resent her for the part she'd played in the expedition. There wasn't any real reason to blame her, but Coral knew that many times heartache was neither fair or logical.

Knowing she couldn't let him fluster her any further, Coral tucked her towel tighter against her breasts and reached for her little shower caddie full of soaps and oils.

"I have to wonder what you'd do if I were to go and report this to Shadis, you arrogant prick?" Coral said half to herself, half to Levi.

He opened the door to his locker and pulled out a clean set of civilian clothes. He turned slightly to look at her, one eyebrow arched elegantly on his boyish features as she continued to scowl.

"You gonna go wash that repulsively dirty body of yours, Zacharius, or are you waiting for a show?" He questioned her with no hint of emotion.

It was hard to control her expression. Biting her tongue to stop from screaming at him, she turned away quickly, trying to hide the blush that had risen onto her cheeks unbidden. As she stomped off to the showers, she could hear Levi's quiet "tch."

Cocky fucking piece of shit motherfucker!

Coral's mind rolled through every curse word she could think of before placing her towel on a shower wall and turning on the hot water.

MY body's repulsive, he says?! Arggghhhhh. Arrogant fucking mouth breather! What the hell would he know anyway?! Damn him and those ridiculous fucking abs of his.

Smacking herself lightly on her temple, Coral then rested her palms against the shower wall and let the hot water course over her. She looked down at the tiles as a mixture of blood and dirt went down the drain. What was the point of worrying about what her body looked like to men? She'd probably be a corpse soon anyway…

Levi had dressed quickly after Coral left. He was glad she hadn't seen the grin on his face when he'd seen her blush so badly. She would have gotten even more livid if she had. She'd surprised him frankly. Not just with her presence in the locker room, but also because he'd never seen her flustered like that before. At least, not since they'd argued when he first joined the scouts…

He wasn't sure if she had started purposefully avoiding him, or if she simply didn't care, but after Farlan and Isabel, Coral never really spoken to him again. He knew he wasn't a very approachable guy, and he couldn't help the fact that every time he looked at Coral he was forced to remember that day in the rain, but he had to admit it made him a little sad how she avoided his gaze when their eyes met now.

He had never even properly thanked her. Although he hadn't said it at the time, her presence that day had been important. She'd shown respect to Isabel's remains and prevented him from murdering Erwin and Mike when his entire world had been crumbling.

He smirked again at the thought of her blushing face. If he didn't know her at all prior to that moment he might have assumed she had a little crush on him. But over the past year he'd personally seen her emotional resolve. The girl was tough as nails and generally unaffected by the chaos that they now encountered on an almost monthly basis now. He'd legitimately never seen her blush before, and for a brief moment Levi forgot about titans, death, and pain and simply enjoyed the fact that he'd made a grown woman's face turn hot from seeing his half naked body.

The thought made him grunt and narrow his eyes in mild irritation as he continued dressing. Regular life things like sexual attraction and relationships had long since become a pointless topic in his mind. He could barely remember the last time he'd actually had sex. It was probably one of the few times he'd visited the Underground brothels before Erwin and Mike had dragged him to the surface. Levi had never really been a fan of visiting filthy hovels filled with possibly diseased women, but sometimes a man needed legitimate release that simply wasn't achievable through his own hands.

Coral's appearance had reminded him of this frustrating fact as he lazily tucked his white shirt into his pants before fastening his belt. He glanced back at the direction she'd taken towards the showers, thinking about what that voluptuous body of hers looked like right that very second. That towel she'd been wearing hadn't left a whole lot to his imagination, but his mind was having fun trying to fill in the blanks.

Feeling a growing warmth building in his pants as the images passed through his mind, Levi scoffed at himself.

No point in acting like a hormonal teenager, you idiot. Levi chided himself, gathering the rest of his stuff.

He waited near the shower door for a second allowing time for his obvious arousal to dissipate before making his way to his own quarters.

It hadn't taken Erwin long to promote him. He rose quickly through the ranks, and one thing he'd been adamant about while dealing with his new commander was that he was going to get his own fucking room. He couldn't handle sleeping next to all the vile men of this regiment with their awful hygienic habits.

Disgusting twits, he thought to himself as he opened the door to his room and threw his dirty clothes into a laundry bin. Before he headed out again, he sat on his bed and spent roughly ten minutes attending to his gear. He tested it and cleaned it before placing it on a large trunk at the foot of his bed. He then left his room and headed towards the mess hall so he could finally eat something. The last expedition hadn't injured him at least, but that didn't mean he wasn't still exhausted and famished.

As he entered the large cafeteria now filled with soldiers, Levi spotted Coral at the end of a line waiting to be served dinner. He normally wasn't a fan of eating on anything cleaned by the cadets of this garrison, but today he was too tired to care. Besides, Coral's face had reddened again when she saw him enter the hall. He didn't normally allow himself such pleasantries these days, but the girl's sudden rush of emotions were genuinely amusing him at the moment.

"You're eating with us plebeians tonight, Professor Puke?" Coral asked out of the side of her mouth as he placed his tray next to hers on the line.

Levi narrowed her eyes at the use of the ridiculous nickname she'd given him over a year ago. Apparently, she was getting mouthy again too now?

"I happen to be a huge fan of the dumpling soup at this establishment..." Levi responded dryly as he accepted a bowl from the lady on the other side of the line.

Squinting, Coral turned to look at the man whose expression was still tightly controlled and stern. Was that...had he just made a joke?

"You smell better, Zacharius," Levi said, turning to head for a table where Mike and Erwin were currently sitting.

Coral cursed as another irritating blush washed over her face from Levi's statement.

My god, he's an absolute pain in the ass!

She followed him curiously, willing her blush away as they both sat down at the table. Coral sat next to her uncle while Levi sat next to Erwin opposite them.

Despite their rocky and admittedly volatile past, Levi had grown to respect many of the soldiers here who had previously treated him like dirt. Mike had actually apologized to Levi not long after he'd lost his friends. Levi had grudgingly admitted to the man that if it wasn't for him and his obnoxious niece, he'd likely be in a regurgitated pile of titan vomit out past the walls somewhere.

No one said anything as both men watched Coral and Levi sit down with their food. The temperamental redhead and the stone-eyed soldier made a point to ignore the other people at the table until finally Coral looked at her comrades curious expressions and barked out an impatient "What? You never seen someone eat before?"

Erwin had that same irritatingly omniscient expression in his eyes he normally wore, and Mike was silently looking between his niece and Levi like he was trying to place a puzzle piece that simply didn't want to fit no matter which direction he turned it.

The four continued to eat quietly together until a sudden flash of what appeared to be lightning in the middle of the day briefly filled the mess hall with a bright yellow light. The force of it was so strong that the ground shook. Bowls and silverware went clattering to the ground, and soldiers cried out as many of them were thrown to the floor in an instant. Scrambling to their feet, the occupants of the mess hall rushed outside to see what was going on. On the far side of Wall Maria, a column of smoke was crawling into the air.

"What the fuck is going on?" Coral asked herself. To her right, Levi said nothing, but it was clear they were all thinking the same thing. That looked like titan smoke...

Among the soldiers she could hear similar questions rising.

"..someone give an order to shoot the cannons?"

"Did you see that weird light?"

"Was it an explosion? Who's on the walls right now?"

Suddenly, it appeared. A giant red hand, utterly devoid of flesh, placed itself on the top of the wall. The fingers clenched around the stone, crushing the top of the wall like as though it was made of tissue.

"Im—impossible!" Someone yelled.

Coral was shaking where she stood, eyes never leaving the wall as the monstrous head of the biggest titan she'd ever seen rose just above the edge of the wall. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of the titan's fleshless face that was now leering down at the residents of Shiganshina like a silently judging grim reaper.

"Tha—that wall is over 50 meters high..." Coral stuttered out as the first waves of panic started to ebb into her brain. Levi glanced at her, noting the way her skin had gone deathly pale and her eyes were now as round as saucers. He turned his attention back to the wall, hissing in a pained breath when he noted the way the titan appeared to be tensing up and bending down for a massive kick.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" He yelled, grabbing Coral and pulling her to the ground with him mere moments before a sickening rumble resounded through the city and a gale of wind tore through main street, whipping directly into the mouth of the scout headquarters. All around them, they could hear screams as massive chunks of debris landed randomly throughout the city, crushing buildings and civilian alike.

Underneath him, Coral gasped and screamed out, "Was that the fucking gate?!"

"I don't know," Levi replied, one arm still laying over her protectively. Without any more hesitation, he hauled her to her feet. To their right, Erwin was already barking out evacuation orders. Everywhere Coral looked, people were running like ants. Mike and a few others had started to rush for the stables, knowing the horses were suddenly one of their most important resources. A few soldiers started to head for the quarter master, obviously intent on grabbing their gear, but a massive chunk of wall had crushed the entire building. All around them, people were screaming, panic flooding the streets like a rapidly spreading disease. In the distance somewhere Coral could hear someone screaming that the titans were getting in. If that was the case, then that titan had indeed breached the wall...

This can't be happening.

A sudden thought horrified Coral and she gasped out loud, "GABRIEL!"

Spinning on her heels, Coral frantically rushed for the stables. Behind her she could hear Levi yell her name out in surprise, but she ignored him. Rounding the corner of the mess hall at full speed, Coral almost stumbled and fell at the sight that greeted her. The stables too had been hit by massive debris. The horses that weren't dead were running away in terror. The stable boy Gabriel was nowhere to be seen.

A rough hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of her shock and hauling her back to the middle of the yard. "He's dead, Coral! Forget it. Follow me." Levi ordered her, dragging her back to Mike and the others.

Wrenching herself free of Levi's grasp, Coral ran for the barracks. Levi cursed and decided not to follow her this time. Instead he ran for his room, bursting through the door and quickly grabbing his gear. He had it strapped onto his body within seconds and rushed back out to the courtyard, eyes scanning for Erwin and the other commanding officers. He spotted Erwin bellowing orders at a bunch of terrified soldiers, ordering them to mount some of the horses they'd manage to catch and begin evacuation proceedings throughout the city. They took off in different directions, many of the soldiers still not wearing any gear.

"Levi!" Mike yelled, spotting him with his ODM gear, "Take Coral and get the fuck out of here! We'll have to regroup behind Rose!"

Levi nodded, and spun to head for the women's barracks. He could understand Mike's preoccupation with his niece given the circumstances. Trying to help the citizens was going to be nearly impossible. Most of the scouts had likely turned in their equipment when they'd returned from the expedition. It was only because of his meticulous habits that his own gear hadn't gotten crushed.

Sprinting past buildings, Levi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Coral burst out of the women's barracks wearing her ODM gear. She had still been wearing civilian clothes though when she'd gone for the gear. Instead of changing into her uniform pants due to lack of time, Coral had simply ripped her ankle-length skirt so that it was no longer in the way of her straps. It hung in tatters around her thighs, legs bare and her feet still clad in her simple black civilian flats. She looked a strange mess with her wild hair, still wet from the shower, stuck to her neck in clumps.

He ran to her side and grabbed her shoulders. "How much gas do you have, Coral? Enough to get to the wall?"

"I think so. Where are Mike and Erwin?"

"They're fine. Mike said to regroup at Rose. Come on!"

Together, they ran out of the confines of the scout headquarters and scanned the street leading up to the gate in Wall Maria. Sure enough, even as far back as they were, Coral could see a massive hole leading out into titan country. Already, some titans were starting to stream through, ugly horrifying grins on their inhuman faces. They could smell human flesh.

"Levi," Coral said quietly, trembling as she heard the first of the blood curdling screams of human prey being cornered, "It's going to be an absolute massacre..."

Battle outside the walls had been horrifying, but this was going to be so much worse and she knew it. There were civilians everywhere. People who had never before seen a titan and had no clue how to defeat one. Men, women, children…

Everyone was going to die.

"Exactly," Levi hissed, turning to grab her shoulders, "That's why we need to get out of here now. Follow me!"

"What about all the people?!" She screamed at him, righteous indignation flaring at the idea of leaving helpless civilians to die.

"What are we supposed to do, Coral?!" He barked at her, "Neither of us have enough gas to save anyone except for ourselves. What use are we going to be if we're dead?! Stop standing there gaping like an idiot and get your ass in gear!"

Coral hated to agree with him, but she knew he was right. Yelling in anger, she clicked a button and shot a hook into the nearest wall. Together they flew into the air and landed on a roof still running at full speed.

"Head for Wall Rose immediately! Get to the boats!" She screamed down at terrified people still staring at the titans lumbering up the road.

Behind her, she could hear Hell unfurling onto the streets of Shiganshina. Cries of agony and terror were the only thing that could be heard amid the powerful footfalls of the titans as they made their way through the city, picking up helpless humans and devouring them like as though the city was nothing more than some kind of morbid buffet.

Levi and Coral continued their journey to the wall, swinging over the rooftops like swift shadows. Coral's crummy civilian shoes had fallen off almost as soon as they'd started heading for Wall Rose. Her feet bled as she and Levi pounded their way across hot roof tiles, still yelling at people on the roads.

Stopping on a roof that looked down into a garden, Coral yelled to a group of people who were trying to load up a cart with goods. "Leave that shit, you morons! Get to the Wall NOW or you're gonna die!" She screamed at them.

Sobbing cries from behind her caused her to turn around and look down. Below her, part of the roof had caved in. Inside the room below the destroyed ceiling, Coral could see a little girl crying. Next to her, there was a woman under the wreckage struggling to push something past the rubble that was currently crushing her. Coral's heart plummeted when she realized what it was the woman was trying to do. One of the woman's arms was still holding her newborn baby. The child was screaming bloody murder, a large gash across its scalp. The mother called weakly to the other child crying next to her.

Without thinking, Coral rushed to the edge of the hole in the roof, deftly swinging down into the room below. She rushed to the side of the woman and dropped to her knees. Grunting with effort, Coral wrapped her fingers around the heavy piece of debris and heaved. It started to move, but it was so heavy Coral could feel her bare bloody feet slipping out from underneath her.

"CORAL?! Where the hell are you?!"

She could hear a pair of feet smack into the roof. Levi's voice sounded desperate and angry.

"Levi!" She yelled, still pulling against the debris, "Down here in the hole!"

Levi appeared next to the crater in the roof, looked down at her struggling with the wreckage above the infant and cursed. Retracting one of his hooks, he swung down next to her and started to help her pull. With his added strength, the piece of stone finally rolled free. The woman, still very much so crushed by pieces of roof, pushed her screaming infant towards Levi's feet.

"P—please..." She gasped out between breaths, lungs clearly beginning to fill with blood. "D—d – don't let...don't let my children die here..T-take them...with you!" She gasped imploringly, tears streaming down her bloody and dirt streaked face.

Levi stared wide-eyed at the woman, trembling and sweating as he beheld the broken woman. Next to Coral, the older child started to scream.

"NO! NO! MAMA! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU!" She howled, small hands grabbing and slipping on the massive rubble crushing her mother.

Levi reacted first. He quickly walked over to the undamaged corner of the room towards a light pink table covered in linens. Coral examined the area and realized they were clearly standing in the baby's room. Coral blinked away tears as she watched Levi grab the pile of linens.

Tossing most of them aside, he quickly took the top sheet and tore it in half before going to grab the bawling eldest girl.

"Hold tightly onto me and do not squirm," he demanded, picking her up and holding her tightly against his chest. The girl looked like she was going to argue at first, but the no nonsense eyes he trained on her as he started to wrap the cloth silenced her almost immediately. Wasting no time, he tied off the torn edges of the linen so that the child was effectively harnessed against him. He yanked on it roughly to make sure it was secure before turning to Coral. Seeing what his plan was, Coral quickly grabbed the baby on the ground and, with Levi's help, they secured the screaming infant against her chest in a kind of fabric sling.

Before re-engaging his gear and swinging back out into the city, Levi gave the woman under the debris one final sad look.

"I'm sorry," he said flatly before disappearing over the edge of the building.

Coral watched as the woman's tears puddled onto the floor of the building, mixing with her own blood. Her eyes were trained on the small bundle still squalling against Coral's chest. "Th—tha—thank you…" She cried weakly.

Nodding her head in recognition, Coral shot a hook into an adjoining building and followed after Levi, wet tears streaming down a face of stone as they both continued to make their way through Hell.

++EEESHHH. What a chapter to write that one was, boys and girls. As I mentioned earlier, there doesn't seem to be a lot of info on what actually happened with the scout regiment when Wall Maria fell. I tried to be realistic as possible, knowing that the scouts had literally just returned that day from another expedition. Completely unprepared and scattered, it's not surprising the number of casualties Shiganshina suffered. Anyway, upcoming chapters should start working towards Coral's and Levi's relationship. Hopefully, my lovely readers, you don't mind romantic build up and escalating sexual tension. ;)

Please review! Your thoughts are always welcome!

-Saber


	6. A Very Long Day

Chapter Six—A Very Long Day

The land behind Wall Maria was as surreal as it was horrifyingly beautiful. In the far distance, a morbidly appropriate red sun cast the land in a warm pink light and allowed the refugees on the boats to watch in horror as the titans passed through the broken gate leading into the outer circle. More than a 1/3 of humanity's land was now officially Titan Country.

Levi and Corral were on the roof of one of the advancing boats. Together, they sat perched like angry sentinels, watching stoically as a herd of titans advanced into the countryside behind the wall. The calm laying over the people on board was both hollow and terrifying, because it was also false. Coral knew every person there was in some form of panic. How could they not be? Every single one of them had just watched as a powerful titan had sprinted towards the inner gate and demolished it using just his shoulder. His armored hide had acted like a battering ram, crushing the cannons that were aimed at him and barreling through the wall like an overflowing river punching through a weak spot in a dam.

No one had screamed after that. They'd all simply stood there gaping as their last vestiges of hope slipped away like the last ray of a sunset before it blinks away and all that's left is the cold darkness of night.

Exhausted beyond reason, Coral sat down on the roof and gave her bloody feet a rest. If she was gonna die, she figured she might as well take a moment of respite first. Close to her chest, the baby continued to squirm and cry. Holding the child close with one arm, she worked to free herself of the cloth. Next to her, Levi saw her struggling and came over to help. He'd already released the older girl from the harness on his chest, and she was curled up on the roof by herself quietly sobbing. Both Levi and Coral let her be. Her life would never be the same and her childhood was effectively over.

Untying the knot, Levi unwrapped the linen from around Coral's chest as she carefully separated it from the upset infant. She grimaced at the rather large gash on the baby's temple. Blood had dried and matted into the little girl's hair, but other than that the child looked otherwise intact and healthy.

Nodding at the other girl, Coral directed Levi to go and check on her. "Make sure she isn't hurt please, Levi." She asked, one hand lightly pushing him away. He looked like he was going to say something for a second, but instead obediently walked over to the sobbing child.

Turning her attention back to the infant, Coral looked down into the mass of people below her. "Excuse me!" she said loudly so that the group of traumatized individuals turned to look up at the strange figure sitting on the roof of the boat.

"Is anyone on this boat a doctor?" Coral asked loudly before motioning to the crying infant cradled in her arms.

Most of the people just stared at her blankly, but a young man towards the front of the boat raised his hand slowly, looking more than a little unsure. "Uh...I-I'm kind of...well, I'm in training.." he stuttered out.

"Good enough, pal," Coral said, grimacing as she stood on her bloody feet.

She limped down the side of the roof till she neared the man's location. The passengers gave her a small area in which to land, and she hopped lightly onto the main deck, gritting her teeth in pain as she did so.

She went to hand the baby to the man and almost laughed at the obvious trepidation that washed over his face.

"What's the matter, doc? It's a baby, not a bomb." She teased him, impatiently motioning for him to take the child.

The young man blushed and gathered the still upset baby girl into his arms, immediately starting to examine the scratch on her scalp.

"She got hit by some rubble," Coral explained, watching the man as he carefully sat down on a crate with the infant and began examining her tiny body.

Next to Coral, a woman pushed through the crowd and held out a wet cloth to the doctor. "Here," she said looking at the baby, "For the blood..."

Taking the wet cloth, the doctor began to wipe up the dried blood on the infant's scalp as Coral turned and nodded in thanks to the helpful woman. The woman smiled sadly before returning to her family. Another one of the men who was surrounding the doctor gave Coral a reproachful look when he spotted the ODM gear on her hips.

"You're a soldier." He said, rudely jabbing his finger at her, "What are you doing on this boat? Shouldn't you be out there killing those titans? I thought you people were trained for shit like this? What kind of coward runs from the battle and hides on a boat with a bunch of civilians?!" The man began to shout and the rest of the people on the boat started to shuffle nervously. Some of them even started to mumble in agreement.

There was a loud thud behind her as Levi dropped to the deck holding the older girl in his arms. Setting the child down, he took two steps forward and placed himself squarely between the angry man and Coral as dangerous rage danced in his eyes. "Bite your tongue, worm," Levi threatened him, "Or I'll cut it out."

The man gulped visibly and took a step away from the much shorter Levi. The expression on the ex-gang leader's face could have made flowers wilt.

Glancing at the two volatile men nervously, the young doctor in training stood and went to hand the baby back to Coral. Turning her eyes away from Levi and the now cowering man, Coral took the baby and held her across her breast.

"The wound on her head will likely need stitches, but other than that she should be okay, ma'am," the young man said quietly, glancing apprehensively at the still fuming Levi.

"Thanks, doc," Coral said, holding the child close before placing a hand on Levi's shoulder. He finally relaxed slightly and turned back to Coral. Placing his hands on Coral's and the older girl's back, Levi ushered them away from the area towards a spot near the railing. The people on deck parted quickly as they made their way through, many of them still eyeing Levi and Coral in fear—especially Levi.

Everyone's attention was quickly diverted however when a large crack resounded throughout the countryside. They all watched as two titans stomped haphazardly towards a village near the canals. One of them, an obvious abnormal, swung its whole body chaotically before falling to the ground, crushing two houses in an instant. Terrified screaming reached the ears of the people onboard the boats.

Reacting quickly, Coral grabbed the eldest girl and pushed her behind herself and Levi away from the railing, shielding her from the carnage as best she could. Turning away from the screaming, Coral leaned down and looked into the girl's eyes.

"Hey, kid." She said, forcing a weak smile and placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "What's your name, hon?"

To her left she could see Levi in her peripherals watching them both with interest.

"Ce—Cecilia..."the little girl sniffled, tears still leaking past her eyelids as the girl struggled to rip her eyes away from the horror she could hear coming from the treeline behind them.

"What about your baby sister here? I'm sure she has a name too, right?"

Cecilia nodded weakly and looked at her tiny baby sister who was finally asleep in Coral's arms. "Her name's Adelaide..." She replied shakily, tremors causing her whole body to shake violently. Behind them the screams were getting louder.

"Those are both beautiful names, Cecilia. Only a mother who really loved her children would give her daughters such beautiful names AND sacrifice her life to save them." Coral reassured her, doing her best to make eye contact with the almost hopelessly broken child. "I know things look really really bad right now, and the whole world feels like it's gonna collapse, but I promise that Corporal Levi and I will do whatever we have to do to keep you and your little sister safe. Okay?"

Cecilia sniffled and rubbed the tears and snot off her face with a dirty sleeve as she looked between both Coral and Levi with wide fearful eyes.

Placing a reassuring hand on the small girl's head, Coral stood up fully and turned to face Levi.

There were large bags under his eyes and his expression was even darker than usual. His previously immaculately clean personage was now covered in dust, blood, and dirt. Gray eyes were tired and heavy, regarding her with an intense solemnity that she could easily relate to. After all, they'd just gotten home from a rather disappointing expedition. Everyone in the Scouts had been expecting a good night's rest and a little bit of emotional respite. Instead, they'd been presented with the greatest tragedy in human history and a hopeless retreat.

Coral thought back to her uncle and the other scouts. She wasn't naive enough to think they'd all made it to the boats or managed to get on horses capable of reaching Trost.

Please...please be safe, uncle…

Levi's voice drew her out of her thoughts. "This is a shit show, but our priorities remain the same. We've got to get somewhere safe with these kids and then regroup. I doubt we'll be able to launch a counter attack any time soon, but that doesn't mean our job is through. I just hope Erwin and the others managed to find a way out of the city before that armored titan broke through..."

Nodding in agreement, Coral turned her eyes towards the now rapidly approaching Trost District. The boats passed through the walls in single file until they finally reached the outskirts of the city. Operating surprisingly calmly considering the situation, refugees flooded off the boats and into Trost, immediately heading for a food warehouse located near the boats. Garrison soldiers stood spread out, barking orders at the incoming citizens, directing them towards a large courtyard where Coral assumed they would all be forced to occupy at least for the night.

Picking up Cecilia so that she could rest on his chest, Levi then turned and grabbed Coral's hand as he started to make his way towards a small gathering of Garrison soldiers who were clearly in charge. The men were standing in a large archway overlooking the area, heatedly conversing among themselves as the refugees continued to spill onto the docks.

"Excuse me!" Levi said loudly, causing the men to cease their argument and turn to regard the ragtag group that was approaching them. "I am corporal Levi Ackerman and this is Private Coral Zacharius of the Scout Regiment. Could you direct us towards whatever military compound is currently operable?" He stated professionally, still standing rather protectively in front of Coral and clutching the still whimpering Cecilia to his chest.

"Ackerman and Zacharius?" One of the men asked, shock clearly painting his features as he examined the bedraggled pair with interest. Levi and Coral's reputations as titan killers had quickly spread throughout the land over the past year. The soldier was obviously considering the rumors he'd heard as he stared at the unlikely pair. Coral felt herself blush slightly when she realized the soldiers had suddenly noticed her bare, cut up legs, which were covered by nothing but some rather haggard shreds of stained cloth and leather ODM straps.

Levi noticed their clear shock and furrowed his brows. "We were completely unprepared when the titans attacked. We're both still wearing our civilian clothing. There wasn't time for anything else. My comrade and these children need immediate medical attention. She lost her shoes while we fled the city, and the infant may need stitches. Could you please direct us to the nearest infirmary?" He asked flatly, steely gray eyes daring the men to say anything outside of what he himself deemed appropriate.

One of the men, a shaggy haired blonde with kind eyes, stepped forward and held out his hand. "Please, follow me. My name's Matthew. I'll take you to the infirmary right away."

Hesitating briefly to throw one more menacing stare at the soldiers in the archway, Levi waited for Coral and the girls to follow Matthew before tagging along behind them.

"Godfuckingdammit!" Coral hissed through gritted teeth as a nurse cleaned her badly injured feet with antiseptic.

Levi scoffed at her and flicked her gently on the head. "I never realized you were such a whiny brat when it came to pain."

Coral looked up at him standing next to her and glared as menacingly as she could while still being in immense pain. "You wanna trade places, you jumped up little runt?"

He smirked ever so slightly before taking a seat next to her, dragging a chair forward so he could watch the nurse.

Suddenly noticing Levi had come back into the room alone, Coral inquired as to where the girls were.

"The district set up a temporary nursery facility. Adelaide is being treated, and I took Cecilia to the nursery. They'll take good care of the brats," he responded simply, watching as the nurse began to wrap Coral's feet with gauze.

She winced slightly as the woman tied off the end of the cloth. The nurse patted her lightly on the leg and smiled, "All fixed, hon. You're gonna need to do your best to stay off these feet while they heal. It's also probably a good idea to not wear shoes for the time being. Are you planning on staying here in the infirmary or would you rather head down to the military headquarters?" The woman asked as she stood up, grabbing a clipboard from a nearby table before starting to write on a form she'd had Coral fill out earlier.

Sitting more upright on the bed, Coral started to swing her legs off the bed."If you could find me some crutches, I'll gladly hobble my ass down to headquarters. We need to check in with our superiors anyway."

"Unnecessary," Levi said suddenly before deftly reaching underneath her thighs and lifting her off the medical bed in one swift motion. "We don't have time to waste. I'll take her myself."

To her own horror, Coral heard herself squeak as he lifted her, a deep blush immediately spreading across her face like wildfire. "The hell, Levi?" she cursed at him, "I'm not a damn invalid!"

"Shut up, Zacharius." Levi shushed her before turning to look at the nurse, "Thank you for your help."

"You're most welcome, young man," the older woman smiled at Levi and Coral knowingly before heading off to her next patient.

Shifting her weight briefly in his arms, Levi headed out of the room and began walking down the hall. Struggling to figure out where to place her hands while being held by Levi, Coral opted to cross them under her chest, turning to look away from him so he couldn't see the still very obvious flush on her face. She tried desperately not to think about the warm areas where his body was touching hers. She could feel his calloused hands coming into contact with the exposed skin on her thighs and waist, and it was making it hard to think straight.

"Relax, brat." Levi commanded, briefly looking down at her. "I feel like I'm carrying a log."

Coral sniffed at him and attempted to loosen up, slowly resting her head against his chest. He was so warm, and somehow he smelled amazing despite being dirty and sweat-drenched. The showers they had both taken before the titan attack had been a complete waste of time. They were both covered in dust, sweat, and blood now.

Yet somehow he still smells like...leather shoe polish and...what is that? Sandalwood?

Coral sighed, taking in a deep breath of his scent before closing her eyes. She was so damn tired. She was finally getting to really relax for the first time since the expedition had ended and the titan attack had started. Coral quivered slightly thinking about those titans. One had simply kicked in the outside gate, and then that big armored bastard had rammed through the inner one like it was made of sand. Now all the land inside Wall Maria was compromised.

So much farmland...gone...hunting grounds...villages...what a fucking mess. It's a miracle we're both alive.

At that thought, Coral opened her eyes and looked up at Levi's cold calculated face. He'd done so much to help her today…

It was just so odd. They'd barely spoken since that time outside the walls with Isabel and Farlan. She'd always assumed he still hated her for all that had occurred that day, yet here he was—just as dog ass tired as she was no doubt—carrying her to headquarters after helping her escape the worst titan attack in human history. Not only that, but he'd gone above and beyond to help her with the children. He hadn't even hesitated when he saw her struggling with the rubble above Adelaide and her mother. He'd been so adamant about not helping the civilians, yet he noticed when she went missing, went back to look for her, and then helped her rescue them both. Also, there was that man on the boat who'd yelled at her. Levi had defended her like he actually cared about her or something.

For an Underground thug, he sure wasn't acting very criminal like anymore.

"Levi," Coral said quietly. So quietly he almost couldn't hear her above the sound of the general cacophony of a city now filled to bursting with refugees. "Thank you...for everything you did today. Helping me with the girls and...ya know...dealing with that jerk on the boat. It was...nice of you."

Levi snorted at the last part she said and looked away from her, kicking open a door that led into Trost's military HQ. "Whatever. Just don't expect me to save your ass all the time. I've got enough brats to babysit as it is."

Coral couldn't help but smile at his overly defensive version of "you're welcome" and rolled her eyes. Turning her head to look where Levi was walking, Coral finally noticed a lot more soldiers running around. Everyone looked busy and afraid. Clearly, news had reached Trost about the broken gates leading up to Wall Rose. Stopping one of the soldiers who was hurrying past by barking at him, Levi demanded Erwin's location. The trembling cadet pointed at a large building behind a row of oak trees and scurried away as though Levi were a titan himself.

Levi made his way toward the building, twisting the door knob open and kicking it open lightly with his boot. Coral immediately saw Erwin standing behind a large wooden desk with at least 3 sheets of paper in his hands and a huge stack in front of him. On either side of him were a number of other officers; Mike being one of them. Coral struggled not to blush as the men stared inquisitively at the two as they entered, confusion coloring a few different faces as they took in the sight of one of the military's most well-known killers holding Coral in his arms.

Upon seeing his niece, Mike rushed forward, shock and relief washing across his face almost simultaneously. "Coral! You're safe! I told Levi to get you out, but I started to fear the worst had happened when no one could tell me if you'd arrived. What's wrong with your legs? Are you badly hurt?" He asked, suddenly seeming to take note of Levi. His eyes immediately traveled to where the young corporal's hands were located on her exposed legs, and Coral could see him struggling not to scowl.

"I'm fine, Uncle. I lost my shoes when we were using our gear to get the hell out of Shiganshina. Ass for brains here just wouldn't let me walk." Coral said, gesturing towards the blank faced Levi.

"You're not supposed to be on your feet, idiot." He stated simply before walking over to a couch and dropping her rather unceremoniously onto her bottom.

Glaring at Levi as he walked over to Erwin, Coral turned her attention back to her uncle quickly. "I'm really glad to see you're okay too, uncle. Shiganshina was completely unprepared. I'm surprised any of us survived..."

Behind his desk, Erwin grunted in acknowledgment, "Though I'm glad to see you two are safe, we don't have time to relax just yet. Our casualty reports are just now starting to come in, and the numbers are horrifying to say the least. We've lost Shiganshina and now all the land behind Wall Maria. Our remaining scouts were just sent out to help clear away the titans that are nearing Trost, but there's no was we can possibly eradicate them from our territory while we're in this condition. Not to mention, we have no knowing if that colossal and armored titan will reappear. According to our reports, they vanished into thin air after fulfilling their missions, which is disturbing in a number of ways."

Coral nodded, thinking about how the armored titan had specifically targeted the gate and ignored everything else. It had acted...intelligently…

"We saw it break down the gate, Commander," she said and the officers looked at her with interest, "Levi will tell you the same thing. That armored titan focused in on it like he knew what he was doing. He built up his speed from halfway across the city and rammed through it on purpose. He didn't act like any titan we've ever seen before. Together, those titans used strategy to infiltrate the city..."

It was very quiet in the room. One of the other commanding officers placed a hand on his face and sat down heavily. They were all struggling to deal with the implications of the day's occurrences.

"What are we going to do, Commander Erwin?" One of the men asked, looking away from Coral's somber expression.

Frowning deeply, Erwin placed the papers he'd been holding on top of his desk before motioning to one of the officers near the door. "Holder, I need you to gather as many of the scout regiment as possible for an assembly in the mess hall. We all need to regroup and get on the same page."

Bowing in response, Holder quickly hastened out the door, slamming it behind him as he ran.

Running a hand through his thick blonde hair, Erwin stared off blankly into the distance. "Our main priority now is the people. We'll have to wait for a response from the central government regarding the titan problem, so for now we have to focus on the continued evacuations of the land between here and Maria. We have to operate now on the assumption that the titans won't advance any further. We could stress about the appearance of the colossal and armored titan for eternity, but there's not much we can do if they do actually reappear. We'll continue using the cannons to clear the titan's outside Trost, and send out squads across the countryside to try and help escaping civilians. Every minute now is precious. Any time we waste means more innocent lives wasted."

Erwin looked down at Coral, brows heavily furrowed, "I suggest you get some rest, private, and get those injuries healed up. We all have a very long day tomorrow."

++There it is, lovely readers! Coming up soon! Eren's debut and the culling of the masses!

Thanks for reading and please please review and tell me what ya think!

-Saber


	7. Towns and Tea Time

Chapter Seven—Towns and Tea Time

It was a quiet evening in the little village. The once lively township was now barren. The houses sat empty, many of them with large holes punched through their roofs. The whole town sat cold and exposed like the jagged rib cage of a stripped carcass. No human life remained, at least not from what Coral could see.

She reeled in the reins of her horse as she neared the village outskirts. Next to her, Hange sat back in her own saddle and examined the village with serious eyes. Coral knew exactly what she was staring at. There were buzzards on the streets, and they appeared to be enjoying a sizable feast…

"C'mon, Hang..." Coral said quietly, "Let's check for survivors."

Approaching from the road behind them, three more soldiers came galloping onto the scene. Coral recognized one of the men as a garrison soldier named Hannes. She could remember him well, because the last time she'd seen him he'd been swigging ale in the middle of the day while he was on wall duty. They'd exchanged some rather terse words that day.

"Captain Hannes? And…?" She trailed off questioningly looking at the other two soldiers.

"The one with the dumb ponytail is Lauda," interjected Hange, pointing at a handsome young man to Hannes' right with dark brown hair that was indeed pulled back into a short ponytail. Long, unruly bangs hung above bright expressive eyes. He bowed politely to Coral, but said nothing. "And the sourpuss over here is Rashad." Coral looked to to Hannes' left at the other soldier. He was a medium sized light brunette with aquiline features and a grim set to his mouth. He nodded in recognition, but remained quiet as well.

"And I think you know Hannes. I remember you two getting into it one time on top of Wall Maria." Hange said, laughing at the vexation that passed over both Coral's and Hannes' face as she said it.

"Someone's always busting my chops. Even you now, eh, Hange?" Hannes sighed and looked at the village behind them, "I take it there aren't any survivors?" He asked somberly.

Coral shrugged, "We just got here right before you guys did. Why are you hanging with scouts today anyway, Hannes? You guys don't generally jump at the prospect of walking into titan country."

Hannes scowled as he continued to stare at the buzzards eating in the distance, "I'm sure you two are aware just how many people have died already. Everyone's a little short-handed as a result. Time for everyone to pitch it. Plus...these are my people getting eaten. I won't just sit back and do nothing. That being said, we'll assist you ladies with this area. None of us saw any titans on the way here, but it's better to be cautious, right?"

Hange and Coral nodded in agreement. Together, they made their way into the trampled little town. Coral tried very hard not to look at the bits of people littering the roadway. Hannes and Rashad stayed mounted and proceeded to check out the perimeter of the town. Coral, Hange, and Lauda dismounted and started searching the buildings, calling out for survivors as they went.

After quickly searching a small one story house that ended up having nothing in it aside from some very agitated chickens, Coral emerged back into the street and looked around for her comrades. Not far away, Lauda appeared out of the door of what was clearly a meat storehouse because he had a massive piece of jerky in his left hand that he was savagely chewing on. Coral stared at him reproachfully and he shrugged defensively in response.

"What? It's not like they're gonna eat it..." he said, motioning to the bodies on the street.

Coral wanted to be mad at him, but the soldier had a point. Food was going to become scarce very quickly and soon. Thousands of new mouths and the sudden loss of so much farmland and hunting ground was a terrible combination. Briefly considering this fact, Coral walked over to the storehouse and grabbed some burlap bags that were laying in a bin by the door.

"It's actually a good point. Load up as much food as you can. We've got a lot of hungry mouths back home."

Lauda smiled at her and helped her start gathering up food. Outside, they could hear Hannes and Rashad as they came back to the street reporting that the area still seemed clear. After stuffing two sacks with as much meat as they could, Coral and Lauda loaded up their horses and mounted back up.

"Anything?" Coral asked the others, gathering her reins up as her horse circled in place impatiently.

Hange and the others shook their heads. "No humans left anywhere...well, no intact ones at least…" Hange trailed off depressingly.

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here. It's getting late anyway. Time for us to reform with the rest of the search parties."

Hannes leading, the group made their way back to Trost, each of them quietly mulling over their own thoughts.

Suddenly, Lauda broke the silence.

"You guys think it's over?"

"What are you yapping about, Lauda?" Hannes asked grouchily, looking at the young soldier with bored eyes.

"The titan attacks I mean...you...you guys think those two titans might show up again and break into Trost or one of the other districts? They could, couldn't they? What the hell's stopping those monsters from walking straight into the damn palace?"

Coral had asked herself this a number of times ever since they'd fled Shiganshina. She never really had a good response though. After all, it seemed so random. 100 years with no titan attacks and then suddenly—for seemingly no reason—titans break through an outlying city, compromise Wall Maria, and then disappear like ghosts. There had been no more sightings of either the armored or colossal titan since they'd lost Shiganshina less than a week ago. It was like they'd just fallen off the face of the map.

The enemy wasn't just incredibly overpowered—they were also being completely unpredictable.

As a result of this, the general populace was becoming extraordinarily restless. The inhabitants of the inner walls were quickly becoming venomous towards the refugees. Close proximity, food shortages, and the general fear of being eaten alive by an advancing horde of titans were all causing civilians and soldiers alike to turn on each other like feral dogs. Coral knew things were only going to get worse too. Even if the titans ignored them for the next hundred years all over again, their current situation was still a powder keg ready to blow.

Just yesterday, she'd had to break up a fight between a soldier and a freaking kid. Coral had had to run interference between the two, clocking the soldier in the face when he sent the boy flying backwards from a kick. The soldier and his buddies had advanced on her like they were going to fight back when the young boy started yelling about titans.

"You haven't even seen it!" The dark-haired preteen with wide vengeful eyes had shouted, tears pooling in his eyes as he'd yelled at the man. "You haven't seen the way they eat people!"

The whole crowd of people had stopped to watch them by that point, and Coral had taken the opportunity to get the boy back on his feet before shooting a threatening look at the offending soldier. "Get back to your post, you mouth breathing swine, before I report this incident to one of your superiors." She'd spit at him, words dripping with venom.

The man had scoffed at her, one hand holding his bruised jaw before stomping off like an immature kid. "You should all be grateful towards us! Damn freeloaders..." He'd griped, retreating into the crowd.

Coral shook her head free of the memory before remembering that Lauda had asked them all a question before she'd gotten so distracted.

Hange replied to Lauda instead anyway.

"I have a feeling that if they'd actually intended on overwhelming us completely, they would have done it already. Like you said, Lauda, what's stopping them? Certainly not us. The titans took Shiganshina within minutes. If they really wanted to, they could kill us all. The only thing stopping them therefore has to be themselves. That colossal and armored titan decided for whatever reason to stop their advance into human territory, and I for one would really like to know what that reason is..."

Coral noted the knowledge hungry glint in Hange's eyes. It wasn't an unusual sight to be fair. Hange normally looked like she was ready to read an entire library, but this look was kind of different and Coral could guess as to why. The whole attack on Wall Maria was about as abnormal an occurrence as one could hope to imagine. History books only went so far back, and nothing like it had ever happened before. Something in the world was shifting. Events were unfolding in their little existence the residents behind the walls simply didn't have explanations for, and truth-driven people like Hange knew that there was explanation for everything. So if humanity didn't know the answer, Hange wanted an answer for why no one had an answer and on it went. It was a never ending questionnaire with that woman sometimes. Her passion for knowledge was intense and sometimes disturbing to be quite honest.

As the sun fell behind the wall, Coral and the others met up with the other search parties and made their way back through the gate. Coral spotted Levi among the others, face expressionless as his horse fell into step with the growing party.

Their orders had been to avoid titan confrontation at all costs, so Coral was pleased to see that they didn't appear to have any casualties. As they dismounted at the stables however, she was surprised to see Levi grunt in pain as his legs hit the ground. Handing off her bag of food to Lauda to take with him to the mess hall, Coral then advanced on Levi quickly.

"Corporal?" She asked, walking over to him trying to mask her concern. Although she wasn't sure why she cared.

"Yes, private?" Levi responded, purposely looking away from her as he started to walk stiffly towards the mess hall.

"You're hurt, aren't you?" Coral looked down at his legs, searching for any obvious wounds. Sure enough, he had his hand over a large gash in his right upper thigh. Behind her, Hange appeared in an instant.

"OH, yikes!" she exclaimed looking down at the jagged bloody wound on Levi's leg, "C'mon, half pint, let's go take a look at that." She demanded starting to drag him by his jacket towards the infirmary."

"Hands off, four eyes." He said bitingly, yanking his jacket out of Hange's grasp, "I'm going to the mess hall."

"Oh, okay! I'll meet you in there!" replied the utterly nonplussed Hange dashing off to the infirmary to grab supplies.

Levi sighed in aggravation at the energetic reply before proceeding toward the mess hall, still with a slight limp.

"You sure are a stubborn bastard," Coral said, falling into step with him, "But you're definitely NOT what I was expecting."

Levi quirked an eyebrow at her, confusion causing him to stare at her with a thoughtful expression. "What in the hell are you talking about, Zacharius?"

"When Mike told me about you and your gang..." Coral trailed off at the last word, realizing too late that she had broached a touchy subject. "I-I'm sorry, Levi...I shouldn't have-"

"So what were you expecting?" Levi interrupted her, passing through the door into the mess hall with her. He made a beeline for the kitchen, passing up the other scouts grabbing food from the line and instead picked up a metal tea kettle sitting on a stove. She followed him, glad to change the subject away from her social blunder.

Coral watched in amusement as Levi proceeded to wash the tea kettle thoroughly in a sink before adding water and setting it to boil on the range. "Well, I wasn't expecting a clean freak who's obsessed with tea."

"Tch. I'm not obsessed with tea."

"Levi you're standing in a kitchen patiently boiling water in a tea kettle with a rather large open wound on your leg. I'd say you're at least a little obsessed."

"Tch."

Another dismissive grunt.

"You want some?" He asked after a moment, surprising her.

Coral blinked at him, realizing he was offering to make her some tea as well. "Me?"

"Well, yes, seeing as you're the only one in the room, moron."

She flushed as he teased her, "Just when I start to think you might actually be a nice guy, you remind me of just how much of an insufferable jerk you are."

"You still haven't answered me, brat? Do you want some or not?" Levi asked again, ignoring her insults.

"Yes! Goddammit all! Make me a cup too."

A grin twitched at the corner of Levi's mouth.

Minutes later, Coral and Levi made their way to a table where Hange was setting up her medical equipment. Patting the bench next to her enthusiastically, Hange motioned for him to sit next to her. Levi gave the peppy woman a withering look before obediently sitting down and then propping his leg up on the bench for her to examine.

"Oh, by the way, what the hell happened to you?" Coral asked, sipping her tea. It was warm, fruity, and calming. Levi made excellent tea.

"A 5 meter class scratched me mid air with it's filthy fingernails," he frowned at the memory.

"Weren't our orders to avoid titans at all cost?"

"It couldn't be helped. It was an abnormal that started advancing on some of our rookies. I had to kill it."

They heard the sound of cloth tearing and Levi turned to glare at Hange as she ripped the hole in his pants even wider.

"What? I have to be able to clean it. The other option is you taking off your pants and letting me sew it up that way."

Coral couldn't help but snort at the startled expression that rushed across Levi's face at Hange's suggestion.

Was that….embarrassment? Oh, that's priceless! I can't just let that go.

"Oh, I'm sure Levi's fan club would just love that..." Coral laughed, looking behind Levi at a group of fresh young cadet girls who had been watching as Hange tended Levi's wound.

Face a mixture of confusion and slight horror, Levi followed Coral's gaze, briefly glancing over at the table of cadets before turning away in revulsion when they all started giggling immediately.

"Idiot brats..." he groused quietly, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Hange and Coral. The two women looked at each other and snickered.

"Oh!" yelled Hange out of the blue, quickly dragging a stitch through Levi's skin as she did so causing him to wince in pain.

"Watch what you're doing, you lunatic." He complained, looking down at the needlework in his flesh.

Hange smiled in apology and went back to carefully stitching him up. "Sorry, Levi. It's just that I realized this is the perfect opportunity to ask you guys, seeing as you two are the only scouts I know who've lived in the Underground."

Eyes widening at Hange's statement, Levi turned to look at Coral in clear shock. He didn't voice it out loud, but the question in his throat was obvious.

Coral regarded him with cautious eyes, "I'm surprised you never figured it out."

Narrowing his eyes on her, Levi's suspicious nature seemed to resurface. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Levi was confused. When he and the others had arrived, he had assumed Coral was a top worlder brat who hated Underground scum. He would have never in a million years guessed that she used to live there. After all, no one in the scouts had given any indication that she was different. They all treated her like family. He wondered just how long she'd been down there and why she deliberately never told him.

Coral scoffed at his question, "Well, shit, Levi. It's not like we were ever really on friendly terms. Hell! Up until recently, you and I virtually never talked."

Levi frowned at her words, but had to admit to himself that she was right. He'd been openly malicious to her from the get go. He'd been aggravated with her for making assumptions about him and his life as a criminal in the Underground, but he'd done the exact same thing to her. He'd assumed she didn't like him because he was Underground scum. When in reality, she didn't like him because she didn't trust him or his intentions. The worst part being that she'd been right. He hadn't been trustworthy. He would have killed Erwin and anyone else who got in his way, and in the process he'd gotten Isabel and Farlan killed too.

Guilt washed across him like a cold breeze. Gritting his teeth, Levi turned away from Coral.

Hoping to ease the tension that had fallen over the table, Hange glanced between the two soldiers before speaking up again. "Anyway, like I said, I wanted to ask you guys something. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I really want to capture a titan alive."

Both Levi and Coral stared at Hange like she'd sprouted a second head, "I know. I know. It's sounds crazy! Just hear me out, okay? The attack on Wall Maria really solidified it for me. The intelligence demonstrated by the colossal and armored titan means there's so much more about our enemy that we're completely ignorant to. We need to be able to understand them better in order to fight them better. It just stands to reason. That being said, I have a favor to ask of you guys. I need someone that knows the Underground to help me find a man that lives down there."

"What man?" Asked Levi, cold eyes hardening more and more the longer they talked about the Underground.

Coral felt herself responding in a similar manner. It was clear Hange wanted to go down there, which was worrisome. Coral had no desire to go back to that living nightmare and clearly Levi wasn't fond of the idea either.

"A man who might have some answers. I heard a rumor a while back about an old man named, Smokey, who supposedly claims to have been spared by a titan. Everyone says he crazy, but I want to ask him about it personally."

Wiping a salve over the top of Levi's wound, Hange quickly wrapped gauze over it before pinning it together tightly.

"I mean, I'm willing to go on my own and see if I can't find him by myself, but I figured it would be smarter and way faster to ask you guys."

"Hang, seriously?" Coral asked, trying to rein in the amount of discomfort she was experiencing just talking about the subject. "We just lost Wall Maria. There's titans stomping around in our backyard, and you wanna go walking around in the slums looking for some lunatic who says a titan just let him walk away? Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

Levi grunted in agreement. "The brat's right, Hange. What are you hoping to learn from talking to some fossil from the Underground?"

Hange almost pouted, "Look, I know it sounds silly, but the titan's attack on Shiganshina only makes this that much more important. If that old man knows something about them we don't, then I want to hear him out. No stone unturned, I say!" Hange proclaimed loudly, pumping a triumphant arm into the air.

Coral laughed when she saw a group of soldiers behind Hange roll their eyes at her antics before returning to their food.

"Ugh. Fine, Hang. I'll go with you. I don't remember anyone named Smokey, but I know a place where they can probably help."

Sighing in annoyance, Levi swung his now stitched up leg back under the table and reached for his tea cup. He looked almost sulky when he brought the cup to his face and informed them that he was going to. Coral watched the way he held his tea cup. It always drove her nuts the way he held his damn cup. He ignored the handle all together and gripped it from the rim. It was as though his hands were actually talons and he was a predator bird clutching some hapless prey.

"There's no need for you to come too, sourpuss. Me and Hange can handle ourselves. Also, why can't you hold a cup like a normal goddamn person?"

Levi fixed his bored gray eyes on Coral and took a deliberately slow sip from his tea cup before replying. "I'm not letting you two idiots go down there by yourselves." He said, ignoring her last question.

"Fine. Have it your way, but PLEASE tell me why in the fuck you drink from cups like that, or my eye is going to start twitching. It doesn't even make any damn sense, Levi. For one, THERE IS A HANDLE. Two, your hand is in the way of your mouth. How do you even drink like that without spilling tea on yourself?"

"Well, maybe I'm just not a klutz like some people..." He replied, setting his tea cup on its saucer.

"Are you implying I'm a klutz?"

Levi almost looked like he was going to roll his eyes at Coral. Turning to look at Hange, he stood, taking his empty cup with him. "When are you planning to go down there, four eyes?"

Hange looked up at him and smiled, "As soon as possible. We can go tomorrow if you like."

"Fine." He said flatly, throwing Coral one last dirty look before heading back to the kitchen. "Dress in civilian clothes. Uniforms will just make our job harder. Go to sleep, idiots." He called out loudly over his shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen.

After he'd disappeared, Hange turned back to Coral, watching the look on her friend's face with amusement. Coral was staring after Levi, face completely blanked out in thought. Despite herself, she'd found herself watching Levi's ass, admiring the way it flexed as he walked.

Coral noticed Hange staring at her and ripped her eyes away from the kitchen. Hange's smile only widened.

"Sooooo...what's going on there?" She questioned, finger motioning between Coral and the kitchen.

"What the hell are you talking about, Hang?" Coral replied snottily, looking away from her friend and sipping her tea.

"Don't act dumb. You and short stuff obviously! There was some kind of weird chemistry going on between you two. Did something happen? You and him don't normally hang out, but I've been noticing you two gravitate towards one another lately."

Coral scoffed at her friend. "You're out of your mind, Hange."

"I may be, but I'm also really good at picking up on abnormalities."

Coral grimaced into her tea because she knew Hange was right. Things had changed somehow between her and Levi. Ever since the attack on Shiganshina her feelings toward him had become much more confusing and complicated than they ever had been in the past. She had a feeling Levi felt the same way. The expression on his face when he'd learned she used to live in the Underground was proof enough of that. They were both learning things about each other that were causing them to rethink their image of the other person.

"Also," Hange hunched low over the table and whispered at her, "Were you checking him out just now when he was walking away?"

Coral spluttered, coughing on her tea and spilling a bunch of it on her chest.

"Geez. Levi's right. You ARE a klutz." Hange laughed at her, handing her a handkerchief.

Glowering at Hange as she mopped tea off her blouse, Coral tried to respond evenly without sounding too defensive. "A woman can appreciate a nice ass without it meaning anything, Hang."

Hange cackled wildly at her, and Coral felt herself grinning despite her embarrassment.

Even though Coral had made it a point to guard herself emotionally and minimize her heart ache by avoiding making new relationships, Hange had always managed to weasel her way back into Coral's heart. She had a soft spot for the mad scientist. Hange was one of the few people she both loved and respected. She was a certifiable badass despite being such a raving lunatic, and Coral loved all of that about her. She was a psychopath, yes, but she was her psychopath.

Eventually, the two of them left the mess hall and parted ways. Hange had set up a makeshift study since arriving to Trost, and virtually always slept near her work. Coral however had managed to find a bunk in the women's barracks.

Exhausted to her very bones, Coral stumbled into the barracks, assuring herself that she'd take a much needed shower in the morning. She was too tired to stand up any longer than necessary. Tossing her uniform on a nightstand, Coral quietly got into bed hoping not to disturb any of the other already sleeping women. She was asleep mere moments after closing her eyes, falling into a deep slumber where she had a dream about a handsome man with jet black hair and gray eyes. She forgot it completely the next morning.

++Man, I just can't get these chapters to break 10 pages no matter how hard I try. Oh well, nearly 5000 words is normal right? Right. Anyway, next up, a trip down memory lane for Levi and Coral. Please please please leave me a review! Even if it's short! I love hearing everyone's opinion!

-Saber


	8. The Hen's Roost

Chapter Eight- The Hen's Roost

The sun was still struggling to shine over the walls when Hange, Levi, and Coral reached the stairwell. Commander Erwin had been accommodating enough to lend them a carriage for their short journey, and it hadn't taken long at all for them to reach the entrance.

The entire ride there, Hange had been talking almost non stop while Levi and Coral sat spread as far away as possible from each other on the bench, both distantly staring out the windows at the passing scenery. Most of the stalls and vendors were just now starting to open their doors and start business for the day. Coral tried to focus her thoughts on the actions of people in the streets in an effort to not think about her current predicament. She'd felt a growing panic building in her ever since she'd woken up that morning.

Hange had shaken her awake while it was still dark. Together, they'd headed straight for the girl's showers. The shower had been enough to wake her up and make her feel a bit better, but the apprehensiveness she could feel sprouting in her heart was starting to feel like it might smother her completely.

Levi had met them at the carriage, dressed in pressed black slacks, a simple white dress shirt, black jacket, and of course his trademark white cravat hanging around his neck. His formality usually amused Coral, but for some reason this morning it bugged her. She had to admit he looked good in whatever he wore (even that ridiculous cravat that he was somehow capable of pulling off), but for some reason this morning it pissed her off how good he looked. It was like Levi was trying so hard to look like the complete opposite of what an Underground citizen would typically look like. Like he was trying to bury his shameful upbringing by playing soldier and pretending like he wasn't what he actually was: a hardened killer with a dark past.

Here they were, preparing to go right back into the belly of the beast, but yet he was acting like everything was just normal. Three civilians going to speak with an old friend or some such nonsense. It irked Coral just thinking about it, but she couldn't decide why, which only served to upset her further. The inner battle she was having must have been obvious, because Levi's gray eyes had focused in on her face almost immediately, narrowing dangerously when he'd asked her what was wrong.

Coral had brushed off both his and Hange's questions before sitting next to the window and staring outside, pointedly ignoring them both. She knew she was acting childish and immature, but she just didn't want to think about it or talk to anyone. Instead, she focused on the vendors in the street, watching intently as a man with crates full of clucking chickens unloaded them off of a cart. Suddenly, the carriage had come to a stop, and they all three rose to their feet to exit the vehicle.

Hange had barely touched the ground before she was off down the stairwell, leaving behind nothing but a brief hint of lavender in the air and an elated squeal indicating her increasing level of excitement. Levi had started to go after her until he'd noticed Coral out of the corner of his left eye. She was just standing there.

Ignoring Hange for the moment, Levi returned to Coral's frozen figure. She was barely moving, breath coming out in quiet little gasps as she stared blankly down into the dark of the stairwell. Her arms were rigid against her side, knuckles turning white as her fingers curled into themselves. She didn't even glance at Levi as he approached. She looked like she was staring at ghosts that no one else could see.

Levi could tell she was having some sort of panic attack. He suddenly felt like such an idiot for never realizing she was from the Underground too. It was so obvious to him now. The way she talked and acted were not regular traits for top worlder women. She was reckless, foul-mouthed, brutal, and so fearless in the face of death. He'd seen her cut through titans like it was child's play and then cackle in triumph like a lunatic. This girl had been exposed to things that men twice her age could never even fathom. But now, as he placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, he could feel her trembling. Her deep green eyes had instantly snapped out of their blank stare at Levi's tentative touch, and turned to focus in on him.

"Oh, Levi..." She said quietly, like as though he'd just woken her from a dream. Levi could still feel her trembling.

"Hey, brat!" he said loudly, grabbing her chin with his other hand before turning her face so that she was looking directly into his eyes, "Snap out of it, Zacharius. What's the matter?"

Her mouth finally parted slightly, dry lips trembling as she struggled to formulate a description of the faceless horror that was suddenly overwhelming her. Seeing the stairwell had caused something in her to snap. It was like a door that had been cracked open in her mind for years now had suddenly shifted and slammed closed completely. Terror had instantly wrapped its claws around her heart and squeezed.

"I-I don't know...it—it's stupid, Levi, but...but I just suddenly-" She stammered, still looking down into the oppressive darkness, "I—I suddenly felt like...like if I go back...back down there...I—I might never make it back out again." Coral tripped over her words and shuddered against his hand, and Levi felt himself softening more than he had in a while.

"Listen to me, Coral," he said quietly, "I don't want to go back down there either, but there's nothing to worry about. I'm here, and I promise you—we're not spending a minute longer in that shit hole than is absolutely necessary...okay?" He asked again, pulling her eyes away from the stairwell using his forefingers. Once she made eye contact and nodded, he released her hesitantly, still watching to make sure she was okay.

Shuddering, Coral drew herself up and gulped loudly before giving him a weak smile of understanding. Untying the front of the shawl she'd thrown around her neck that morning, Coral re situated it so that it wrapped around her like a blanket, comforting her now with it's warmth and security in the cool morning air.

Levi watched her as she did, mentally appreciating the way the shawl cradled her breasts and emphasized them in the soft morning light. He hadn't gotten a proper moment to really look at her this morning. It had been a while since he'd seen her in something so feminine. Her normal civilian clothes were pretty plain like most of the female soldiers wore, but today she'd opted for colorful. Instead of the normal breezy long skirts she wore, she had on a simple but far more form-fitting green pencil skirt. It wasn't excessively tight, but it gave her curves just the right amount of justice. She'd tucked in a plain dress blouse, covered only by the thin yellow shawl. Her two-toned locks were drawn up into a messy bun on the back of her head, still wet from her shower earlier. As the hair dried, pieces started to fall in heavy drapes around her face, and the effect was rather stunning—even if it was unintentional.

Shaking his head of the odd unbidden thoughts, Levi turned and hurried down the stairs after Hange, hoping Coral would follow this time. He could hear the sound of her plain flats pattering down the stairs after him, rushing to catch up.

He found Hange at the bottom, animatedly talking to a group of MP soldiers who were looking at Hange like most people usually looked at Hange. One of them appeared to be attempting an escape down the hall behind him as she talked. Noticing her two friends' arrival, Hange pointed at them excitedly before slapping a sheet of paper onto the nearest officer's chest with a loud thud. "Here ya go, cap'n! Like I said, all present and accounted for!"

The man staggered backwards before glancing down at the paper in his hands. He eyed Coral and Levi suspiciously, but said nothing as they passed him. Levi acted like the soldiers were invisible. He skipped down the steps without hesitation, Hange linking arms with Coral as they followed him.

The smell of the air was the first thing that Coral noticed. The fetid mixture of humanity's garbage coupled with a dank cave-like atmosphere made for air that was almost heavy in nature. Then there were the sounds. With a ceiling over your head constantly, noise traveled and reverberated in the oddest fashion. The Underground was never really silent due to this reason. No matter what time of day it was on the surface, The Underground was still a constant source of human-made noise. Drunks yelling, children bawling, dogs barking, perverts cat-calling, and always water running—whether it was sewage being tossed into the alley or a deluge of rain dripping into the surrounding canal waters—the Underground felt...wet. Maybe it was because it was basically a cave, but the whole area felt moist and hot. It was only made worse by the sheer number of humans who populated the city. The stink of body odor and sweat was as common a smell as the odor of garbage was. Not for the first time since Coral had come to know Levi, she found herself wondering just how in the hell a clean freak like him had managed living down here as long as he had.

Daring to throw a glance his direction, she examined his face for any obvious sign of discomfort. Placid faced as usual though, Levi doggedly avoiding looking at the homeless on the street and continued his way towards whatever coordinate he had in his head. Coral followed suit. She didn't want to see the people around her with their feeble, skinny legs and dead eyes.

Dead anyway… Coral thought grimly to herself, absentmindedly touching the knife she'd slipped into her waistband that morning.

"SO!" Hange exclaimed, glancing back and forth between them, "Where we headed, dutiful guides?"

"The Hen's Roost." Both Levi and Coral had said simultaneously, both of them turning to look at the other in mild shock.

Hange cackled. "Oh wow. Looks like you two really did used to frequent the same locations."

Stopping at the entrance to a road that hooked into the city, Levi gave Coral an appraising look. "You know the Roost, brat?" He asked, digging his hands into his pockets with a kind of forced calm.

Coral folded her arms across her chest and returned his expression, "Yeah. The lady, Tammy, who runs the place is the same woman who told Mike where to find me."

"Hmmph," Levi grunted cryptically before continuing to walk.

Shrugging at Coral's annoyed expression, Hange hurried to catch up to Levi. "So, Tammy? Is that the woman we're going to go talk to?" She asked him, tugging lightly on his jacket much to his obvious annoyance.

"Yes." He replied curtly, turning onto a street Coral remembered vividly. The orphanage wasn't far from here.

Memories tried to force their way into her mind, and she forcefully pushed them away, focusing instead on Hange's quest. "Tammy may well be one of the most informed people down here in the Underground. She's been down here for decades and knows damn near everyone." Coral informed Hange, gesturing towards the end of the road. A battered hanging wooden sign with a cutout of a chicken declared itself to be The Hen's Roost.

Hange and Coral made to walk forward but a gaggle of dirty faced children surrounded the women, holding out hats or hands, begging and pulling on Hange's and Coral's legs with woeful expressions.

"Please, kind marms, aint you got anythin' to spare?" One young boy said, practically wrapping himself around Coral's legs and clinging to her like a flea.

Unsure of what to do considering she'd never run into this situation before, Coral just stared down at the boy in shock. Last time she'd been in the Underground, she'd been a begging little snot-nosed kid herself. Suddenly, a large masculine hand grabbed the kid by the back of his shirt and yanked him backwards.

"Filthy hands off, brats." Levi said, pushing the kid away with a light shove before ushering Hange and Coral ahead of him. Coral was about to yell at him for being rude when she noticed the little boy Levi had just pushed pull out a small pouch full of coins from his front shirt pocket. Levi had snuck it into the kid's shirt without anyone even noticing. The group of children clammered around the boy excitedly before they all disappeared into an alley, but not before the boy yelled out a loud "thanks, mister!" at Levi's retreating form.

Coral stared after Levi as well. Just when she thought she was starting to figure him out…

Levi Ackerman...who the hell are you?

Hange observed Levi's iron expression with barely concealed amusement. "Who knew Humanity's Strongest was a bleeding heart?" Hange gushed, playfully shoving Levi's shoulder as they reached the front of the bar. The look he gave her said he'd be perfectly fine with murdering her on the spot

"Don't call me that, four eyes." He grunted angrily, glaring at the brunette.

"What? Humanity's Strongest or a bleeding heart?"

"Both." He barked at her impatiently, opening the door for them to walk through first.

Unperturbed, Hange practically flounced into the room. Coral walked in behind her, enjoying the sudden change in smell and atmosphere that greeted her. The Hen's Roost had always been a bit of a safe haven. Although the world outside was dirty and chaotic, the little bar/inn was neither. Tammy had never put up with rough housing drunks or sloppiness. The bar itself was nothing special though. Just a two story wooden building with scattered table and chairs. On one wall hung a few dart boards, one of which was currently being played on by two young men who stared openly when Coral, Hange, and Levi entered the room.

One of them seemed to recognize Levi immediately. Coral watched as he gave his companion an excuse to leave before quickly slipping away, leaving his still half-full beer on the table in his wake.

Levi noticed the man's actions too but didn't seem to care. Together, he and Coral headed directly for the bar. A girl emerged from the kitchen behind the counter and gave them all a huge fake smile. "What'll it be, ladies and gentleman? Been a while since we had surface folk down here. You all look thirsty!" She proclaimed.

Working on those tips already, eh, hon? Coral thought in bemusement. She didn't recognize the girl. Tammy was always hiring new people though, and to be fair it had been a long damn time since she'd been down here.

"Is Tammy in?" Levi immediately inquired, ignoring the girl's attempt at charm.

Finally noticing Levi's impatient and determined stare, the girl dropped her fake persona in an instant. "Tammy's been under the weather for a while, pal. Her legs got real bad a while back, so now she just runs things from her room. She's been in a right foul mood though lately. Her grandson died last week. I doubt she'd be in the mood for visitors."

Coral winced visibly at the news. The girl had to be talking about Liam…

Coral could remember him even now. A shaggy towhead with baby blue eyes and a sharp tongue. She and him had had a childish little romance before Mike had taken her to the surface. Liam had been her first real kiss actually.

Sadness texturing her words, Coral gave the bartender girl an imploring look before continuing, "Please...could you tell her Cora is back? Liam and I used to be friends."

Hearing Liam's name caused the girl to give Coral a double take. "I'll see what I can do, but no promises."

Nodding in thanks as the girl disappeared back into the kitchen, Coral and Hange sat down on two bar stools as Levi leaned against the bar, grumpily examining the rest of the bar behind them. A few of the patrons were whispering and looking at Levi. Levi stared them down individually, daring anyone to come up and address him. Finally, one of the men in the bar seemed to decide to take the dare.

Abruptly pushing away from his table and causing his chair to squeak loudly across the floor, the entire bar watched as a very large man made his way towards Levi and the girls. He was as broad-chested as he was tall. Judging by his size and obvious physical health, there was no way he'd been born in the Underground. His hair was long and pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck. His clothes were simple and unassuming, but it was obvious he wasn't any common bar drunkard.

The man stopped in front of Levi and stood towering in front of him. "I remember you," he said, loud enough that everyone could hear him in what was now a painfully quiet and suspenseful bar, "Didn't you used to run the east side with a bunch of kids? I used to always see you with some blonde kid and a little red-haired girl. This one, I guess," the man said, eyes switching over to look accusingly over at Coral. She blanched slightly, but didn't correct the man and neither did Levi. "I had a buddy named Derek who came home one day with a stump for a hand after getting into it with you and your little thugs." The man continued, turning his heated stare back to Levi's deliberately passive expression.

"Derek, huh? Doesn't ring a bell..." The shorter man replied blandly, boredom lacing his words.

"Derek's a great guy and you and those brats permanently maimed him for life!" The man yelled, heat rising on his face at Levi's arrogant dismissal.

"If I took his hand, he can't be that great." Replied Levi coldly, hatred flashing in his eyes like an oncoming storm.

The man's face had now turned completely red, and Coral felt herself tensing up for a conflict. Her hand flew towards her waist right as the angry brute went to push Levi in the chest.

"DON'T!" Levi yelled threateningly, causing the patrons of the bar to gape and the angry ape of a man to halt mid-movement, shock and fear flooding over him as he beheld the glowering devil before him. Levi's eyes were damn near slits in his head and a darkness had fallen over his features that Coral hadn't seen in a long time. For one terrifying moment, she had a vision of a feral animal in a torrential downpour of rain methodically hacking a titan into bloody clumps.

"You were thinking about touching me..." Levi growled quietly, downcast eyes suddenly coming up to meet those of the now rapidly deflating would-be attacker. "Don't..." Levi said the last word quietly, slowly, threateningly. Deadly promise lingered in the air, causing the man to take a sudden shaky step backwards.

"Fuck sakes, Levi. You sure haven't changed much. Still as socially adept as a box of rocks, I see." Said a voice behind the bar suddenly.

Everyone in the bar turned their attention to a feeble-looking midget of a woman who'd hobbled in using a cane while the drama had been unfolding. Tammy spotted Coral and a weak smile graced the woman's face. "By God, Cora. You and little Levi back after all this time."

Overwhelmed slightly at the appearance of a loved one from her past, tears prickled in the corners of Coral's eyes as she went to hug the old woman. She'd been a pretty serious part of her life back then after all. After she'd fled the orphanage, Coral had started her life on the streets just like many of the other children did in the Underground. Tammy had taken a shine to the rough and tumble brat and had given her food and shelter on a number of different occasions. Coral had never flat out moved into the inn, but for a fair number of years she'd worked there off and on for room and board. That had all ended though…

After a particularly nasty incident involving some male patrons, Coral had left the Roost and returned to living on the streets. A whole other wave of memories she flat out refused to think about got shoved away. As awful as that whole experience had been, she'd still always returned to see Tammy and Liam though.

The tears in her eyes got worse at the thought of Tammy's grandson. "I'm so sorry about Liam, Tam," Coral said into her hair as they hugged.

Tammy patted her back reassuringly before wiping away tears in her own eyes, "Heard about that already, did you? It's just as well. At least he's finally out of this dump…" she trailed off sadly before suddenly seeming to recall Levi and the rest of the onlooking bar.

"Jeffrey!" She barked suddenly at the man who was still looking at Levi in doubt, "Derek's lucky he only lost a hand after what he did to Isabel. You sit your ass back down! You know goddamn well I'm not in the mood for your dumb ass male posturing right now!"

Cowering as Tammy scolded him in front of the whole bar, Jeffrey took one last look at Levi and the others before slumping back to his table, thoroughly humiliated.

Satisfied, Tammy turned to head up a flight of stairs. Hange smiled brightly at Coral as they followed, "Oh, I like her."

Coral giggled quietly.

Once they'd reached the landing, Tammy took them to a small living area with two couches and a coffee table. Slowly lowering herself onto one of the couches, Tammy examined them all with the same bright, intelligent eyes Coral had always remembered.

"Well, now...Cora Zacharius and Levi Ackerman. Although I'm delighted to see you both, I won't deny I'm surprised to see you both here at the same time. Oh, and who is this young lady with you?"

"Squad Leader Hange Zoe! Pleasure to meet you!" Hange exclaimed, leaning forward in anticipation as she shook the woman's hand.

Tammy seemed confused. "Another soldier, eh? I'm guessing you three didn't come down here for a social call then?"

Coral shook her head, "No, Tam. We need your help finding someone, a man named Smokey."

"Smokey..." Tammy trailed off, processing the name over and over again. "Oh wait! You mean that old coot, Mr. Preston?" She asked, glancing between the three of them.

Hange shrugged, "Possibly? I heard a rumor that an Underground resident named Smokey had encountered a titan outside the walls and lived."

Tammy scoffed loudly. "Oh yeah. That's Preston alright. Delusional old fool. He lives up off of Frazier street still if I'm not mistaken. He used to come down to the bar occasionally and regale the lads downstairs with titan tales. I wouldn't be surprised if most or all of it was complete bullshit though. If you're looking to get information from him, you should be aware of that."

"I guess we'll just have to see!" Hange chirped without a hint of disappointment.

Eyeing the bespectacled scientist with interest and amusement, Tammy chuckled lightly. "I see you two still know how to pick your friends. Speaking of which, Levi, where's Farlan and Isabel? Those two used to follow you around like puppies."

Coral winced slightly at the sound of their names and she saw Levi do the same thing. Sitting cross-legged on the couch opposite Tammy, Levi kept a dark composure over himself as he answered, "They're both dead, Tammy."

Shock washed over the woman's face as she considered the thought. Everyone knew Levi and his two wards had been picked up by the Scout Regiment. No one had ever really considered that they'd die up there on the surface. After all, the Underground was more dangerous than anything up there...right?

"Oh, little Levi, I'm so sorry, hon. I just figured...after we heard what happened to you three. Well...we all assumed it would be for the best. I thought the same thing when Cora's uncle showed up asking about her."

"It's fine." Levi stated flatly, no hint of the true sadness he felt over the names of his friends reaching his eyes. All that pain had long since been filed away. "They got to see the sky..."

Tammy tried to give him a weak smile, "That's something at least. None of you kids deserved to be raised down in this miserable place." She sniffed sadly, and Cora knew she was thinking about Liam.

"Tam..." Cora said quietly, placing her hand on the other woman's. "You know I hate to ask, but I have to know...how…?"

"You want to know what happened to Liam, I know." Tammy patted her hand and sighed, "I won't lie, hon. After Liam found out your uncle had come for you and you weren't coming back, Liam started acting out. He got mad at me for telling your uncle where you were, and moved out not long after. A few years back, he joined a gang of men called The Biters. I'm sure you'll remember them, Levi." The black-haired introvert gave the woman a solemn look of acknowledgment. "Anyway, a few weeks ago, Liam showed up at the bar, asking me for money. It was so strange. I'd never seen him acting so out of character and desperate. I gave him what I could at the time, but now I worry it wasn't enough to dig him out of whatever mess he'd gotten himself into. Military Police found his body a week ago, plugging up one of the canal drainage pipes."

Coral squeezed Tammy's hand and blinked away tears at the thought. Poor sweet, simple Liam. He used to blush so brightly when he reached for her hand...

On the other couch, Levi was looking at Coral strangely.

"We need to get going," he said, standing up rather suddenly.

"Oh-of course, hon." Tammy said, struggling to stand up. Levi steadied her by placing a hand on her back as she swayed a little.

"Thank you, dear." She smiled at him, "It was so nice to see you two again. It does me good to see that you're both safe and healthy. The scouts appear to have done you each a world of good, and I'm glad you both found each other up there. Such a funny coincidence. You two aren't…?" She trailed off suggestively, looking inquisitively between them as Coral stood up next to Levi.

Coral couldn't help it. Her face drained slightly of color at Tammy's suggestion and she put both her hands up. "OH! Oh, no! Nothing like that. We're just helping Hange."

Cracking up at Coral's horrified expression, Tammy hugged her tightly, "Alright, if you say so, kiddo."

Releasing Cora, she turned to Levi and hugged him too; much to Cora and Hange's surprise. He even gave her a light squeeze in return.

"Now excuse me if I don't escort you three back down. Hobbling down there once was enough for me today." Tammy said, stopping at the top of the stairs.

"It's perfectly fine, Tammy. Thank you for the information. Take care of yourself."

After emerging from The Hen's Roost, Levi stopped in the road and looked off into the distance.

"Frazier street she said..." Hange whispered, looking between them, "I'm guessing either one or both of you knows where that is hopefully?"

Coral looked to Levi. She actually wasn't sure. She'd made it a habit as a kid to avoid the north side of town, and she was pretty sure that was the direction Tammy had gestured. "Levi?"

"Yeah, I know where it is. When she said his name was Preston, it reminded me. The old man has a shack near the northern canal. A few brats I used to know liked to lift booze off of him when he left the bar. Old drunk was an easy target."

"Well, let's get going!" Hange clapped excitedly.

"Keep your pants on, lunatic," Levi stated dryly, grabbing a handful of the back of her shirt as she started to walk off before releasing her roughly. "It's not that easy. You heard Tammy mention that gang called The Biters? They used to control a good chunk of the North side of the city, but it sounds like they've expanded their influence. If we walk up there looking like this, we're sure to get jumped as soon as we set foot in their territory."

Biting her lip in consternation, Hange appeared to be thinking desperately. "I'm hoping you have a solution?"

"Not particularly," he admitted ruefully, "Our best bet would have been ODM gear, but unfortunately our gear would have made us stick out even worse. Getting an audience with Tammy or Preston would have been hard to swing with so many people down here hating the military."

Frustrated, Coral had to acknowledge that Levi was right. If Smokey/Preston/whoever the hell he was saw military scouts coming for him, he'd probably run and it was hard to find someone in the Underground when they really didn't want to be found.

"We're just gonna have to chance it then," Coral stated.

"Unfortunately," grunted Levi. "You two idiots stay close to me, and whatever you do—don't let yourselves get stopped by any more damn kids. The Biters are known for their underhanded, sneaky tactics. We need to make this visit a quick one."

++You know the drill, folks! Read + review!

Thanks a million!

-Saber


	9. The Awakening

Chapter Nine- The Awakening

Many Years Earlier

The candlelight had roused her from her sleep initially. The groggy little redhead stared out blearily into the flickering darkness, foggy brain trying to discern what it was exactly that she was looking at. At the far corner of the room she could see one of the orphanage workers entering the room holding a candle in his hand as he looked around the room. Cora struggled to remember the man's name in her sleepy haze.

Larry? Leonard? No. Landon. That was it. What a stupid name. He was one of the new hires if she recalled correctly. She'd only spoken with him once or twice.

She wondered what on earth he wanted?

All the other girls in the room were asleep, which meant it had to still be late at night. Cora glanced over at the small girl sleeping in the bed next to her. Jessie was always the first one to wake up in the morning. The child was a notoriously early riser. There might not be any light down here in the Underground, but it never seemed to affect little Jessie's sleeping pattern. The kid had a very obnoxious habit of violently shaking Cora awake early as all hell every morning like she was trying to snap her friend in half. It drove Cora nuts, but she'd learned to deal with it over the past few years. The only reason the kid did it was because she was paranoid of people dying in their sleep. The 4 year old girl had found her mother dead one morning and poor Jessie had never really recovered as a result.

Cora narrowed her eyes in confusion as the man proceeded further into the room, lifting the candle to look over the forms of the sleeping children in their beds. A few of the other girls started to wake up too.

"Mr. Landon?" Cora asked quietly, her rather shrill young voice made more hoarse by sleepiness, "What's going on?"

The man finally seemed to spot Cora, candlelight swinging onto her face, illuminating her inquisitive green eyes in the darkness of the room. "Oh! Cora, right? I thought you girls might be interested in some sweet cakes I just made? Follow me into the kitchen and you can all have some. Doesn't that sound nice?"

A few of the children actually gasped. Sleepy or no, most of them never got to eat sugar of any kind. The idea of getting to eat cake was nearly as exciting as the idea of getting to go up to the surface.

"Really?" A little girl named Sandy in the bed to Cora's right squeaked. She was clearly intrigued. A few of the girls were already getting out of bed, stumbling excitedly towards the man in the doorway in only their nightgowns, wide-eyed and expectant. Cora was one of the oldest in the room, and she was feeling more than a little uneasy about the situation.

Sweet cakes? Huh?

Next to her, Jessie was already swinging her legs out of bed and walking towards the man.

"C'mon, Cora!" her friend implored her, looking over her shoulder.

Smiling at the fevered faces of the children, Landon held the door open for them to head into the hallway. "Now, be quiet though, girls. If we wake up the others in the house, we won't have enough for all of you to get one, okay?"

Cora sat on the bed still, watching as her friends all started to file quietly out into the hallway.

Something about this is weird. Why does this feel weird? I don't like that man…

"Wait! Jessie! Guys! Hold up!" Cora started to call out, moving to get out of bed and chase after them.

Landon quickly rushed forward and clamped his hands around Cora's mouth. "What did I just say, kid? Wouldn't want to wake up everyone, would we? Now follow your friends quietly like a good little girl."

Cora stared up at the man in fear. His hand was rough and massive against her face, squeezing her small jaw tightly and painfully. She whimpered as she gazed up into his narrowed eyes that held a threatening promise behind them. Her tiny heart was pounding in her chest, and the alarms in her brain started to blare even louder.

He dragged her through the door, one hand roughly holding onto her right forearm, expression daring her to make a sound. Hand still clamped uncomfortably over her mouth, Landon pulled her down the hallway until they'd reached the door to the kitchen at the end. He pushed her roughly into the room before closing the door behind him. Upon seeing the scene in the kitchen before her, Cora started to shake in full on terror.

There were two other men in the room that she'd never seen before. They were both busily tying up her friends. All the young girls had gags stuffed into their mouths and were staring at her in wide-eyed horror, sitting down in the kitchen with their arms bound behind their backs. On the far side of the room was a back door that led into one of the adjoining alleyways. Upon seeing Landon's arrival, one of the men pushed the door open and propped it open with a brick. Through the open door, Cora could see more men approaching and they all had large burlap sacks in their hands. She watched in growing horror as one of the men pulled the bag over the head of little Sandy and tossed her over his shoulder like she was nothing more than a sack of potatoes.

Landon suddenly spun her around roughly and bent down to stare at her neck. One hand still silencing her, he roughly dug a necklace out from underneath her nightgown. He examined it in surprise.

"That's a damn nice necklace for a dirty little orphan. Wonder who you stole this from..." Landon said, turning the trinket over in his hands. It was the only thing the orphanage had managed to give her as a clue to her true identity. It was a long thin plate made entirely of silver with carefully carved horses adorning the edges. In the middle was her name: Cora Zacharius. Well, at least she had to assume it was her name. According to Mrs. Taylor the necklace had been the only thing on her when someone had dropped her off at the orphanage.

Landon pulled it over her head.

"Ha! I was in need of drinking money," he cackled, stuffing her only possession in the whole world into his pocket.

Something within Cora's insides started to ignite and simmer.

"That all of them, Landon?" Another man asked, covering another girl called Eadie with a sack, uncaring hands hiding her terrified, bugged out eyes with the rough cloth.

Landon stood up straight again and shrugged. "Meh. For now. We can always come back and get the rest. This group here will bring in a pretty penny though. Especially this one with the red hair." He laughed and placed the candle he'd been holding on the kitchen table before grabbing a handful of Cora's hair. "I heard the boss say he was looking to find a few redheads for a high roller he just acquired. Hopefully he likes scrawny little brats."

One of the men waiting in the alley laughed, "I know I do. Not much to em, but they're nice and tight that's for sure." The man gave a rough squeeze to the bag that contained Sandy, and Cora could see the little girl squirm, muffled screaming coming through the sack. She felt like she was going to be sick. A second later, Landon took his hand off her mouth in order to start tying off her hands.

The moment he took his hand away Cora screamed as loudly as her small lungs possibly could.

"Shit!" Landon yelled before he backhanded her across the room. Cora's ears started ringing and her vision swam nauseatingly.

"Goddamn kid!"

Another man kicked her in the stomach for good measure before hauling her up by her hair.

"You think anyone heard her?"

"Fuck if I know. Just get these brats outside onto the cart fast."

The man holding her by her hair lifted her high into the air until she was even with his face. His free hand grabbed a hold of her throat as he stared into her wide, terrified eyes. Her vision started spotting as he leered at her, rancid breath hitting her cheeks as he drew her terrifyingly close to his face.

"I always did like the spirited ones. The more they squirm the better they feel. Imma enjoy breaking you, you little bitch," he drawled out sickeningly, putrid tongue sliding out of his mouth to lick her cheek agonizingly slowly.

Without warning, Cora felt something inside of her snap. She would later describe it as a kind of "awakening." It was the only way she could think to describe it. It was like she'd always secretly been a caged animal, but then suddenly the lock on the cage shattered and the beast was free. One moment she was choking in the vile man's stranglehold, darkness threatening to overtake her, and the next the man was on the ground doubled over in pain. She'd kicked him in the stomach with every ounce of strength she had and he'd immediately dropped her. Cora was on him in a matter of seconds. Her small teeth latched onto his jugular and she yanked her head side to side violently, ripping and tearing with animalistic fervor. Blood and meat flew crazily in every direction.

Landon and the others looked on in abject terror as the young girl spat a chunk of their comrade's throat onto the kitchen floor before turning her eyes to the rest of them. Blood and ragged pieces of flesh hung from her mouth as the man on the kitchen floor gurgled pathetically, attempting to scream as he clawed at his neck but unable to do so because he no longer had a trachea. Cora's eyes were crazed and bulging out of her skull, now utterly devoid of humanity. A few of the men in the alley flat out ran at the sight of her.

Cora turned her sights on Landon and the man drew a knife with shaking hands. She lunged at him and he jumped sideways with a rather girlish scream, knocking the kitchen table to its side. As a result, Landon's candle went flying and immediately caught some ratty curtains near the wall on fire.

Inside the house and in the surrounding area, Cora and the girls could hear people approaching the building. The loud banging, screaming, and now the growing smoke cloud were starting to draw attention finally. Inside the orphanage, a woman came running down the hallway and flung the kitchen door open. Upon seeing the lake of blood and the mutilated, writhing man on the floor, she immediately started screeching. The few remaining kidnappers were already abandoning their plan and had fled out the back door; Landon included. Cora took the opportunity to start helping her friends to their feet, roughly pushing them out of the now burning house.

Mrs. Taylor, the owner of the orphanage ran up behind the shrieking woman in the kitchen doorway, saw the fire and disappeared back into the building, screaming for the other children to evacuate the house.

Once they were in the alley, Cora set about untying the girls. After freeing Jessie, Cora went to grab her friend's shoulders, but the child quickly scuttled away from her.

"Jessie? What's wrong?" Cora asked, confused by the fear in her friend's eyes.

The orphan girl only backed further away from Cora who was still absolutely drenched in blood and gore.

"Stay away, you—you monster!" Jessie screeched at her, cowering against a wall with the others.

Monster?

Cora looked down at herself, staring wide-eyed at the blood and bits of flesh that covered her nightgown and chest. She could suddenly taste the nightmarish gore in her mouth. Trembling in shock, she reached one hand up to her face and drew it away now coated in a thick layer of blood. Her small stomach rocked violently, and Cora fell to her knees in the alley heaving.

To her left, children and people continued to spill out onto the streets as the fire grew larger and the smoke got thicker. A crowd had gathered around her, and she could hear them debating on whether or not is was her who'd started the fire. She looked like a crazed animal after all. No one would get anywhere near the feral-looking orphan even after she'd stopped dry heaving. Eventually, Cora fled sobbing into the city, one word playing over and over in her head.

Monster. Monster. Monster…

It didn't take long for them to locate Smokey's house. Levi took them directly to it, avidly avoiding people in the streets, while still keeping a close eye on his two female companions. Coral could tell he was anxious. It wasn't in his expression so much as it was in his posture and mannerisms. Levi was normally a very observant and cautious person, but it was clear to her that he was currently on high alert even more so than usual. She knew he likely felt as defenseless and naked as she did without her 3DMG gear.

His silver eyes never stopped moving as they made their way up a particularly narrow and filthy alley. Coral wrinkled her nose at the heavy stench of trash bordering the walls of the alley and did her best to avoid stepping on any of it. That was easier said than done though.

"Ugh."

She could hear Levi make a sound of disgust as he accidentally stepped on something that squelched grossly. "I'd forgotten just how revolting this place truly is. I'm taking an hour long shower when we get back to headquarters," he griped quietly, heading towards a house on the end of the block. Coral and Hange both smirked at him and followed.

The house was one of many that had been crammed onto Frazier Street. They were stacked three high and were all so small that it was a real stretch to call the individual domiciles "houses."

"Which one?" Hange quipped cheerfully, looking to Levi in question.

The stoic soldier gestured at the one directly ahead of them located on the bottom. "If memory serves, it should be this one."

Practically skipping, the rather unhinged scientist made her way up to the door and knocked, Levi and Coral close behind.

"Smoke-err...Mr. Preston? We're friends who'd like to have a little chat with you!" Hange said, face pressed closely to the door.

They could hear some scuffling, followed by a rather loud crash and some colorful cursing. Moments later, the door swung open almost causing Hange to fall into the thin elderly man who had opened it. He was gaunt with fair skin and dark hair now heavily streaked with white. He had large bags under his rather striking pale blue eyes and a grim set to his mouth. As soon as he stepped into the door frame, Coral could smell the toxic scent of booze come wafting out of the house.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" He asked glaring directly at Hange, a slight slur indicating he'd been drinking for at least a little while.

"I am a scientist named Hange Zoe. I'm interested in hearing your titan story. Oh! And these are my companions, Levi Ackerman and Cora Zacharius. Truth be told, we're all actually members of the Survey Corps. We think your story might be important in humanity's fight against the titans." Hange answered him in her usual straight forward and cheery manner. However, upon hearing Coral's name, the man visually stiffened, eyes widening till they were large as saucers as he looked at Coral who was standing quietly behind her two comrades. He suddenly seemed much more sober somehow.

"D—did you say...Cora? Cora Zacharius?"

Coral looked at the old man with blatant confusion covering her face. She was quite certain she'd never met this man before, so why was he gaping at her like he knew her?

"Yeah…?" she answered, trailing off in slight consternation.

Smokey took a step back, one hand reaching for his now hanging mouth, rubbing his face in apparent shock. Noticing the curious expression on their faces, the man seemed to snap out of his daze and took another two steps back, gesturing for them to enter the house. "P-Please come in...I uh...I have something I need to show you."

Glancing at each other in confusion, they did as he asked, cautiously making their way into his dirty little hovel of a house. Newspapers were scattered everywhere in large piles, broken up only by other piles of dirty laundry and trash. The place was an absolute disaster, and Coral didn't have to look at his face to know that Levi was probably having an inner meltdown.

Disappearing into a back room, Smokey reappeared moments later, breathless and holding a small wooden box. He made his way over to the trio and made to hand it to Coral.

"I...well, this belongs to you..." He said quietly, a sudden sadness washing over his features as he held the box forward.

Feeling more lost than she ever had in her life, Coral took the box from him slowly, noting a sudden tenseness in Levi. He looked like he was ready to spring. She tried to give him a reassuring glance. This old man was weird, but for some reason he didn't strike her as being dangerous at all.

Flicking open a small metal latch on the front of the case, Coral opened it and couldn't contain the gasp that left her lips. Trembling, she reached inside and removed its contents, absentmindedly dropping the box as she struggled to comprehend how this moment was even happening. It laid so innocently in her palm, the silver necklace pendant with her own name etched into its surface. She thought back to the last time she'd seen it, dropping into Landon's pocket right before she'd lost her mind, killed a man, and then burned down the orphanage. That whole night had been a painful blur to her. It had marked the beginning of her life as a street rat. Every day after that living on the streets of the Underground had been a horrific struggle for survival.

Still gaping foolishly, Coral looked at the old man, a million answers trying to formulate on her lips.

"H-How…?"

Smokey's old but rather beautiful eyes struggled to hold her gaze as distant but not forgotten pains seemed to swim to their surface. "I got it from a card game at a bar one night..."

Coral immediately thought back to Landon's words.

Drinking money…

"Landon..." Cora mumbled to herself, looking down.

"Was that his name? I never really bothered to find out...I shot him soon after he told me how he'd gotten it."

She looked back to Smokey, another wave of confusion rushing over her face causing her eyes to narrow. "But...why would you…?"

Smokey looked like he was about to cry. His large eyes became glassy as he dropped his face in shame, "My hope of finding you was dashed to nothingness after he told me that the orphanage had burned down. That piece of shit claimed he'd killed you. I lost all hope of finding you after that...I'm so sorry you were alone all those years, Cora. I hope you can learn to forgive me one day."

What the…? What's this old man going on about? Who the hell is he?

He appeared to struggle heavily with his next words before finally willing himself to look back up and into her eyes. "I...I'm your grandfather, Cora."

A loud ringing in her ears made Cora's head start to spin and she staggered backwards slightly when sudden dizziness attacked her senses. The whole world seemed to tilt for a moment as Levi, Hange, and her grandfather all reached out to grab her and prevent her from falling.

Rushing to clear newspapers off his dirty couch, Smokey motioned for Levi and Hange to have her sit down. Coral plopped weakly onto the couch, still grasping onto the necklace in her hand and trying desperately to think straight. Hange sat down next to her, concern on her face as she held onto her friend's shoulder. Levi folded his arms over his chest and began to actively scan Smokey who drew another chair forward and sat down across from his granddaughter.

The weary old man sighed at the expression on Coral's face and leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees as he attempted to come up with his next words.

"I suppose I'll try to start at the beginning. First of all, my name obviously isn't actually Smokey, it's David Preston. I'm your father's father. In reality, your name isn't Cora Zacharius. Truth be told it should be Cora Preston. Your mother and father changed it to her family's last name when they started having troubles with the interior."

"The interior?" Cora managed to ask. She hadn't actually been born in the Underground after all?

David nodded solemnly, "Yes. Your father, my dear son Tom, met Margaret when they were children. They grew up together as neighbors and fell in love early on when they were just kids. Our families were perfectly happy, but that all changed when your mother attracted the attention of a very influential military police officer. He tried pursuing your mother, even knowing she had a child with another man. Margaret never made a big deal out of his advances though, and it was never an issue until one day multiple police showed up at our door. The jealous fool—a man named Harold Tamer—had actively dug up dirt on our family and discovered our true origins. He knew that I was from a clan who used to live in the mountains; a people who had long been persecuted by the king and his family. He used this information to have myself and your father arrested under the guise of protecting the king."

Stopping suddenly, David looked over to Hange, "Ironically enough, this is the part of the story that you came here for, ma'am. Those police arrested us, but they never took us back to their headquarters. Instead, they took us all the way to the outside of the walls and left us for the titans after beating the ever loving hell out of us." He started to become even more misty-eyed after that, sad tired eyes revisiting old horrors. "We did our best to get back to the walls, but I was severely injured. The MPs had damn near crippled me when they beat us like they did and left me with two broken legs. I tried getting Tom to leave me behind, but the damn boy refused to abandon me. We'd nearly made it back to the gate when a titan showed up. A scout had spotted us from the wall and was rushing towards us on horseback, but he didn't make it to us in time. Tom pushed me away towards the soldier before turning back for the titan." A tear leaked out of David's eyes and he squeezed them shut, "The last thing your father told me, Cora, was that I had to find you and Margaret. The titan pursuing us grabbed him and squeezed, killing him instantly...I—I never even got a chance to yell at him for being so damn reckless, but that was just Tom. He never thought twice about rushing into danger. He was a hot-headed jackass if ever there was one." A small smile crept onto his lips as tears started to roll down his wrinkled cheeks.

He looked back to Coral, shame and regret warring over his features equally. "To this day I wish I could have switched places with my son. I failed him...I couldn't even fulfill his dying wish in the end. After the scout rescued me and killed the titan, we went back into the walls and he did his best to patch me up. The scout was a good man named Elijah Samson. He's dead now last I heard, but he did all he could to help me find you and your mother afterward, and even kept my secrets regarding my arrest and unusual return to the walls. Immobile as I was, he went back to our house and tried to find you two for me while I recovered. I was crushed when he came back and told me that Margaret had disappeared along with you. According to some MPs he'd questioned, Margaret had gotten into a fight with the man who'd had us arrested and escaped after she managed to gouge out one of his eyes. No one ever knew where she disappeared after that. I now suspect that she ran to the Underground trying to hide from the MPs and Harold and later died of injuries he inflicted on her. I came to the Underground eventually knowing it was the only place left for me. Elijah told me you were both likely dead, murdered by the police after Margaret refused to cooperate with him. And to think...you were so close all this time…I'm so very sorry, Cora. In the end I failed to protect you, my son, and his wife. I just holed myself up in this rat nest of a house and drank myself into oblivion for years on end. I wouldn't blame you at all if you despised me."

He glanced up at her, trying to read her expression. Coral sat leaned up against Hange, stunned beyond reason and more than a little crushed. Her father killed by a titan...her mother murdered by a madman...a grandfather she'd never known existed now sitting directly in front of her giving her clues to a background she'd never dared to hope she'd actually someday learn? She could hardly focus on which question she wanted to ask first. Next to her, Hange and Levi both watched her in calculated silence. Finally, Cora worked up her next question.

"You...you said that the man who killed my mother claimed we were a threat to the king? Why would he think that?"

Grunting in irritation, the old man nodded tersely, "For decades people have feared the power of my family. Something about us is different, although I'm not sure how exactly. We were always stronger, faster, tougher...it's in the Preston blood. For this reason, we were driven out of our old homes. I had thought folks had forgotten about our past, but it rose up to haunt me and took everything I ever cared about. Your mother and father tried to protect you by stripping you of my name and taking her family's surname, but in the end it wasn't enough. I think your mother realized you were going to become a target for the bastards working for the king. She died trying to save you, Cora…of that I have no doubt."

Dozens of emotions were breaking down her carefully placed walls and a small sob escaped Cora's mouth as she brought the necklace in her hand to her chest and pressed it to her skin. All this time, she'd thought her mother had abandoned her like she was garbage, but it was the complete opposite. She'd collapsed and died in the Underground trying to get her to safety. Hange rubbed her back soothingly as she curled in and cried quietly.

The scientist turned back to Cora's grandfather, "Although I'm delighted Coral's found you after all this time, I have to ask, sir...the rumors that circulated about you don't sound at all like the story you just told us."

David shook his head, "I'm not surprised. I embellished them purposely most of the time, worried that if the men who killed my family ever heard them they might realize I'd survived. Not to mention, I was usually drunk when I recounted the tale. I'm terribly sorry if my story doesn't help you folks. My escape from the titan wasn't actually unusual in any way. I would have been eaten too if it weren't for my son and Elijah..." he trailed off, crippling remorse lacing each word heavily.

A sudden light knock from outside broke the silence that followed. They all turned to look at the door as Cora's grandfather rose to answer it. Cora saw Levi's expression evolve from one of confusion to sudden realization as he lurched forward.

"No. Wait!" He made to stop David, but it was too late.

The old man turned the handle on the door and immediately it was thrown wide as 5 heavily armed men pushed their way into the house. The first man pointed a rifle at David's head, shoving him backwards towards Levi who had started to draw a pistol from his jacket. One of the men pointed their own rifle at Levi, "Stop!" he threatened the soldier loudly, taking aim at him and Levi was forced to pause, dangerous eyes frantically assessing the situation.

Coral and Hange stumbled to their feet, each reaching for their own personal weapons as well but stopping when two of the men turned their guns on them.

Coral recognized one of them as the guy at the bar who'd abandoned his drink after seeing Levi. She silently chastised herself for not thinking more of it at the time.

The man who was aiming his rifle at Cora's grandfather sighed heavily as he pressed the gun further against the old man's temple, "Damn, Smokey. I knew you were an old fool, but I didn't realize you were so stupid you'd start talking to soldiers. And not just any soldiers at that. Levi fucking Ackerman!" the man exclaimed, throwing a look behind him to where Levi was standing, glaring death rays. "Long time no see, Levi. I remember last time I saw you you were getting your ass handed to you by some Survey Corps fucks like you were just a little bitch. After all those years of acting like tough shit, it sure was nice to see someone beat your ass for once."

Levi scowled at him darkly, "Well, you certainly weren't going to ever going to manage to do it, Alan. Turns out I had to go fight titans in order to find a real challenge."

"So is that why you never came back for your shitty little empire? Too busy playing soldier outside? Actually, you know what? I don't really give a fuck. I was glad they took your ass. I was hoping you got eaten by a titan, but it's just as well that you didn't cause now I get to kill you my fucking self. Humanity's strongest...what a crock of shit, that is! Humanity's most arrogant pipsqueak perhaps."

"Seems like you have your gun trained on the wrong person then," Levi growled at him, "Are you gonna keep flapping your gums all night or come over here and kill me? At this point it sounds preferable to having to stand here and listen to you bitch."

Alan scowled and barked at him in response, "I've got business with both of you morons actually. Smokey here owes the Biters money. He didn't have jack shit of value though until you people walked in here. Now I know just how he can pay his debt off and then some."

Alan shifted his eyes over to Coral and Hange, a rather twisted grin morphing his features, "You boys hand over these two women here, and I might just let the old man live. Still probably gonna put a bullet in your ass though, Levi. Don't take it personal. I just don't like runty pieces of shit in my territory."

Levi's eyes grew even darker as he gritted his teeth over an angry growl at Alan's words. "Well, at least you're not a complete idiot, Alan, because you know the only way you're touching them is over my dead body." He rumbled out threateningly, hand tightening on his lowered pistol.

"Yeah, that's the idea." Alan said, and with that he took aim at Levi and began to squeeze the trigger.

Coral watched in horror as her grandfather stepped in front of Alan, taking the bullet directly into his chest and dropping like a stone. Levi was only surprised for a second, drawing his pistol and shooting Alan directly in the head causing blood to spray in an arc over the men behind him. Coral leaped over the couch, knife drawn as Hange raised her own gun and shot one of the men in his chest. Coral worked quickly, dodging to the left as the other three men attempted to shoot. Two of them missed completely, but one managed to shoot her in her stomach as she sliced the jugular of the closest thug. She ignored her injury completely, utterly blinded by rage and lurched forward, stabbing one of the criminals through the heart and pinning him to the wall. Levi had already reached the last one in the doorway, arm swinging up in a wide arc as he sliced through the man's stomach and chest, entrails sliding out of the massive gash and onto the floor as the man tottered and collapsed, mouth hanging open stupidly in shock.

Dropping to her knees next to her grandfather, Coral placed a hand on the wound on the old man's chest and peered down into his pale eyes now rolling sloppily around in his head. He struggled to look at her, mouth working desperately to say something as he stared up at her tear stained face. Whatever it was he wanted to say though died on his lips as his last breath rattled out and he lay forever motionless. Coral stared down at her grandfather blankly, vision swimming as she felt herself starting to lose consciousness.

Hands started to grab her and haul her up. She barely registered Levi's and Hange's worried expression as they started tearing fabric and wrapping it around the gushing wound in her side.

"Coral! Stay with us!" She could hear Levi yelling at her as she slipped into the dark, and the last thing she found herself wondering was if she was finally going to get to meet her parents now.

++Sorry this one took so long, guys. Life's been kind of a mess lately, but I'll do my best to start updating more often again. Thank you to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. You guys make my heart soar every time you do! Please keep it coming! I'd always want to hear ya'll's thoughts! Much love!

-Saber


	10. Titans and Politics

Chapter Ten—Titans and Politics

Levi was awoken by a soft tiny hand prying his eyelids open. Normally, his first reaction to such a rude awakening would be violent and swift, but thankfully his peeled open eye immediately spotted the little girl Cecilia who he and Coral had rescued from Shiganshina. The child released his face and beamed proudly at someone behind her, "See? I told you he was awake, Hange! Who sleeps sitting up in a chair?"

Levi could hear Hange in the background struggling to keep it together, "Oh, yes, you're right. Silly me."

Grimacing in irritation, Levi blearily opened both eyes so he could glare at his comrade.

Of course shitty glasses didn't bother to stop the kid…

"Morning, sunshine!" Hange chirped at him, clapping a hand on his stiff shoulders, causing him to grunt in annoyance. "You stay here all night?"

Leaning forward in his chair to stretch while simultaneously shrugging off Hange's hand, Levi looked over to the bed he was sitting next to where Coral was still asleep.

"No...not all night. Has she…?" He trailed off and Hange could see the quiet concern in his eyes as he took in the sight of their injured friend.

Levi was pretty unreadable to most people, but Hange had come to learn that he wasn't nearly as uncaring and cruel as everyone made him out to be. Levi had emotions just like the rest of them. He was just very well trained at keeping them in check. Still, the worry that plagued him was causing lines to appear under his normally placid gray eyes and he was looking even paler than usual lately.

Shaking her head sadly, Hange grabbed the clipboard from the end of Coral's bed. "No...not yet. As for right now though, her vitals are still steady. It's not unusual really for her to be resting this long considering the injury, but still...every day she doesn't wake up..."

Frustration caused Levi's brows to furrow as he looked back to Coral's still form. Something like fear made his gut twist up painfully, and he couldn't help but think about what he'd do if they lost her. It was a strange feeling. He'd watched so many soldiers and friends die before. It was nothing new to him really, yet he found himself constantly reflecting on the way he'd reacted when Coral had passed out in his arms down there in the Underground, blood gushing out of her side entirely too quickly.

To be honest, he'd panicked, which was so out of the normal for him that it had been bothering him ever since. He and Hange had rushed her to the military police guarding the entrance to the Underground, and Levi had actually threatened one of their doctors till they'd agreed to perform surgery right then and there. Thankfully, Hange and Coral were the same blood type otherwise the young woman likely would have died on the table from sheer blood loss. She'd been lucky the shot hadn't penetrated vital organs, but it was still touch and go for a few hours.

Once she was stable, Erwin had arranged a transport for Coral, and they'd brought her back to the new scout headquarters. It had been nearly 5 days now, but she still showed no signs of waking up.

Levi didn't normally sleep much—maybe 3 hours a night if he was lucky, but ever since they'd gotten back it had become utterly impossible for him to fall asleep in his own room. Thankfully, the infirmary was usually very quiet and very clean, so he'd taken to sitting by Coral's bed at night. At least, that's the only explanation he could come up with for his sudden shift in sleeping habits. Frustratingly persistent anxiety had infested him ever since she'd been shot, and it was beyond vexing.

Why the hell was it suddenly so important to him whether this pain in the ass military brat died or not? He wasn't even sure if she considered him a friend. Sure, they'd been through quite a lot together, but they'd almost always been at each other's throats ever since they'd met. He'd thought he'd had her pegged so early on, but she was always surprising him lately with new weird facets of her personality and despite himself he was consistently intrigued by her.

He wanted to know more about her motivations. There weren't many people out there who were okay with living in constant fear of being titan food. He had respect for anyone who joined the Scouts for that very reason, but his interest in Coral's reasoning was different somehow. She'd come from the Underground just like him, but no one had dragged her into their ranks kicking and screaming like they'd done to him. In fact, it had been quite the opposite. Levi could still remember how frustrated she'd been with Erwin and Mike back when they were still preventing her from joining. Coral had fought tooth and nail to be able to fight and even die alongside her comrades outside the walls.

She's far more noble than me in that respect. What an arrogant fool I was to ever be angry with her over Farlan and Isabel's deaths. If anyone is to blame, it's me. If she ever wakes up, I'm going to finally apologize to her for the way I treated her. If she wakes up...

"Ms. Coral's gonna be okay, right?" asked Cecilia, looking back and forth between Hange and Levi, blatant anxiety twisting up her soft features.

Hange ruffled the child's hair affectionately before replacing the clipboard at the end of the bed. "Coral's one of the toughest soldiers I know, kiddo. If anyone can pull through this, it's her."

Cecilia broke out into a relieved grin and placed her tiny hand over Coral's which was resting on top of the white infirmary sheet. Levi examined the small child. He hadn't really seen her or her baby sister since he'd dropped them off at the nursery a few weeks back. The girl looked thinner than the last time he'd seen her, which bothered him greatly.

"Hey, kid," Levi said quietly and she turned her big round eyes to look up at him, "They feeding you well in that nursery?"

Cecilia shuffled her feet uncertainly, clearly torn on her answer. "Well, Mrs. Ann brings food everyday, but she says that food is getting really...scared? I think that's what she called it. I never knew food could be scared though."

"Scarce, hon. It basically means they're just running low." Hange corrected the little girl, a slight frown marring both hers and Levi's features.

Cecilia nodded, but Levi could tell she still didn't quite fully understand. He wouldn't expect her to. Before the fall of Wall Maria times had been tough, but no one had ever really been starving. Living up top wasn't like being raised in the Underground. Things were about to get much harder on everyone now though. Children included...

Standing rather abruptly, Levi cracked his neck side to side and gestured for the little girl to follow him. "Come on, brat. Let's go get some breakfast."

"Good idea," Hange said in delight, falling into step beside him, and Levi couldn't help the slight groan that escaped his lips. He liked the crazy scientist well enough, but sometimes her enthusiasm was downright tiresome. Especially when it was still so early in the morning.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mike leaning against a far wall, staring out the window with a grim expression on his face. Satisfied that Coral wouldn't be alone, he thought back to Coral's grandfather and what he'd said about the military police. They couldn't afford to let their guard down anymore. Life with Coral around was only becoming more and more complicated as of late.

Levi was surprised out of his thoughts when he felt a little hand grab his right hand rather forcefully. He looked down in shock, eyes widening perceptibly at Cecilia who had snagged his hand and was gleefully hurrying along between him and Hange, a goofy little grin on her face as they made their way out of the infirmary. He wanted to break free of her grubby little grasp, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was entirely too cute and happy for him to upset her by being his normal rude self.

Levi could feel Hange's shit eating grin without even looking at her. He purposely avoiding making eye contact with the woman as he directed his eyes back in front of him.

Hange was far from the worst of it though...

As soon as they entered the mess hall, Levi could feel the stares of nearly every soldier there. One table of cadets in particular had started giggling and pointing at the little girl hanging off of Levi's arm, and he'd shot them such an evil death glare they'd all looked away simultaneously, attention suddenly very focused on their food.

Once they reached the line, Levi pulled Cecilia off of him and pushed her ahead of him in the line, placing a tray down in front of her. He grabbed one plate and started making it for her. Not feeling particularly hungry, he grabbed himself a piece of buttered bread and left the rest to his young ward. He made sure she had a good helping of eggs, toast, and even a slice of bacon. Meat was becoming harder and harder to come by lately, and the hungry gleam in Cecilia's eyes when she saw the bacon amused him greatly.

Picking up the little girl's tray, he found her a spot at the end of a mostly empty table. Hange sat down across from Cecilia while Levi went back to the kitchen to brew himself a fresh cup of tea. He munched absentmindedly on his bread as he boiled a kettle and dug through the pantry for the special black tea leaves he'd deliberately hidden for himself.

When he returned to the table with his tea, he was pleased to see the child had already nearly eaten half her plate. Sitting down next to Cecilia, Levi proceeded to drink his tea, hand clutching it from the rim like he usually did.

Cecilia looked at him peculiarly, eyeing the awkward set of his hand. "Mr. Levi, why do you hold your tea like that?"

He glanced down at her, suddenly remembering a time not long ago when Coral had badgered him about the very same subject. "Force of habit…" he replied quietly, deciding he may as well be honest with the goofy little kid. "A long time ago, I was about to enjoy a cup of tea when the handle snapped off and spilled all over me. I've held cups like this ever since."

"Hmmm..." Cecilia mused, gulping down a mouthful of eggs. "Sounds like you're always preparing for the worst. That's a smart way to live, I guess."

Surprise caused him to blink rapidly at the perceptive child, and Hange chuckled across from him. "Sounds like she'd already got you figured out, short stuff."

Levi shot her a silencing look over his cup before looking back to the child who was currently taking small bites out of her toast. Cecilia grabbed the glass of milk he'd gotten for her and slurped on it loudly. He grimaced and made a disapproving "tch" at her.

"Don't slurp your drink, kid."

Cecilia glanced up at him and tried to do as he instructed, tilting the cup further back so she could gulp it easier, both hands struggling to hold it steady. Milk streamed down on either side of her face, and Levi grunted in irritation. Whipping out his handkerchief, he forcefully wiped her face clean.

"Drink it, brat. Don't wear it."

He returned his attention to his cup of tea, and noticed that Hange was watching him with barely contained mirth.

"Don't say shit, four eyes." He dared the scientist, tearing another chunk out of his bread with his teeth in an almost threatening manner.

Next to him, Cecilia gasped. "You have a potty mouth, Mr. Levi!"

Hange looked at the small child and grinned widely, "He's also a fan of poop jokes!"

The child immediately dissolved into a fit of giggles at the word "poop," and Levi struggled to keep a grin from twitching at the corner of his lips.

They were all quiet for a moment, silently eating their food in peace when a sudden thought struck Levi. Turning his bored gray eyes to Cecilia, he placed his tea down on its saucer and reclined slightly. "Cecilia, has anyone at the nursery said where you and Adelaide will be staying permanently yet?"

Cecilia's big blue eyes looked unsure as she stared off into space, "Mrs. Ann told us that eventually we'd either get a foster home or we'd be sent to an orphanage." She let out a sniffle suddenly at her next thought. "She told me that they might not be able to keep me and Adelaide together though…"

She turned abruptly to look up at Levi, sudden hope rushing across her face. "But Ms. Coral said she wouldn't let that happen! She said she was going to find us a place to live together where we could be safe since she promised Mama she would take care of us." The girl's eyes got a little glassy when she mentioned her mother, but she didn't cry. Levi couldn't help but admire the child's courage.

"Hmm..." he brought his tea cup to his lips, quietly sipping as thoughts churned through his head. Maybe there was a way to make it up to Coral after all...

"This is all you have?" The dark-haired man asked Officer Millie Strauss, one thin eyebrow arched in barely concealed frustration.

Millie had to resist the urge to gulp. She'd heard plenty of stories about "Humanity's Strongest" over the past year, but the man in front of her was frankly not what she'd expected at all. His stature had baffled her at first, but she'd quickly realized that what he lacked in height he made up for in sheer intimidation. She never thought she'd see the day when a man nearly a foot shorter than her would make her quake in her boots.

He'd walked so confidently into the records office that morning, freshly buffed and shined boots coming to a stop directly in front of her as she'd busied herself sorting through the massive pile of invoices on her desk. He'd startled her out of her thoughts with a condescending sniff as he looked around at the rather unorganized mess she was currently trying to sort out. Ever since the refugees had started flooding in, her workload had only increased and it clearly showed.

"Is this place always such a pathetic mess?"

Slightly taken aback at his rude entrance, she'd pushed herself out of her chair, fully intent on giving him a verbal lashing when she'd noticed the patch on his jacket. He was a corporal of the scout regiment, which not only meant he outranked her but also that he wasn't any one to be fucked with. No one in the military police liked to admit it, but they all knew that the Survey Corps were tough motherfuckers. After all, anyone who chose to regularly fight titans wasn't a regular soldier. Even if they were on the puny side.

Saluting her superior, Millie had stuttered out her name and given the man an appraising look. "What might I help you with, Lance Corporal…?" She allowed the sentence to dangle, hoping he'd take the hint.

"Levi Ackerman..." he'd responded, sounding almost bored and not bothering to salute her in return. Instead, his eyes roamed the records office, lingering for a moment on her overburdened desk. "I need a list of whatever properties are up for sale in Trost currently."

Hearing the name of the infamous titan killer, Millie had visibly paled, mouth hanging slightly as she stared at the soldier who everyone claimed made hacking up titans look like it was easy. Although his height was a shock, she had to admit that the quiet confidence the man exuded was exactly what she'd imagined when she'd heard the rumors. His stance and demeanor practically screamed "fuck with me and I'll snap you in half", and she suddenly found herself becoming more and more nervous in his presence.

Levi's eyes narrowed angrily when he'd noticed her obviously shocked expression, and she'd had to resist the urge to step backwards when he barked at her in irritation. "Well? Do you always just gape at people like a blithering idiot, or are you actually going to give me what I came in here for?"

"A-apologies, sir! One moment please!" Scuffling away from the glowering soldier, she'd disappeared into the backroom and reappeared with a single sheet of paper.

After reading over it and asking whether it was all she had, Millie visibly flinched at the obvious agitation in his voice.

"I-I'm sorry, Lance Corporal, but ever since the refugees have showed up, properties have been rapidly disappearing. We updated that list last week, but if anything it's probably even smaller now. Space being so limited and all..." Millie trailed off pathetically, hoping he wouldn't yell at her again.

"Hmmph," groused Levi before he looked back to the MP, "Can I take this?" He asked, flicking the paper with his other hand and she'd vigorously nodded her head in affirmation.

"Of course, sir. We always keep back ups."

Grunting out a terse thanks, Levi left the records office, stormy eyes reading over the list as he came to a stop outside the door. It was an exceedingly short list. There were maybe a dozen properties on it and most of them appeared to be commercial. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Sighing in growing frustration, Levi folded the paper and shoved it into his jacket before setting off for Erwin's office in a huff. He strode quickly into headquarters, a chilly gust of air causing his forest green cloak to snap against him. Levi lifted his nose to the air and sniffed slightly, senses informing him that a cold front was rolling in. Winter was rapidly approaching, and Levi found himself wondering once again just how difficult this upcoming season would end up being on humanity.

Judging by the growing civil unrest, food shortages, and the already broken spirit of refugees who'd lost everything to the titans, it was going to be a very rough year indeed. Murder and crime rates had already started climbing rapidly with the arrival of the refugees. Desperation was causing people to lash out and do things they normally wouldn't, which didn't help the opinions of the citizens of Trost regarding their new southern neighbors. People within Wall Rose found themselves turning their noses up at the growing number of homeless on their streets, while said refugees struggled to make new lives for themselves in whatever space they could. Settlements had been started within the walls, and most of the hapless survivors were being forced to work farmland in a halfhearted effort to grow enough food for the struggling population.

Levi frowned at the thought of the settlements. He knew that if Cecilia and Adelaide didn't find a home soon their options were going to become worse and worse. If it wasn't a foster home, then it would be a packed orphanage, and if not an orphanage then they'd be sent to the settlements. He knew that Coral's heart was in the right place, but—being a soldier—there was no way she'd be able to personally look after the children. Especially Adelaide who would likely be in need of a wet nurse for another few months at the least. His list of "Pains in the Ass" seemed to be rapidly growing once more. Coral, Erwin, Hange, Adelaide, Cecilia…

Isabel...Farlan...

He sighed in annoyance with himself.

What is it with me? Do I just attract needy brats somehow?

Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, Levi used his other hand to knock on Erwin's office door. Upon hearing Erwin's gruff call beckoning him to enter, Levi pushed the door open to see his Commander standing in front of a window on the far wall, cup of coffee in hand as he watched cadets train in the yard.

"Ah. Levi. Good. I was going to send for you shortly," intoned the blonde, setting his cup down on the desk behind him.

"Oh?" Asked Levi inquisitively, leaning against a book shelf not far from the man.

"Yes. I wanted to tell you first. We've received word from the capitol. They want us to begin redeploying troops so that we can set up our supply lines once again. Our first expedition is set for a week from now."

Levi nodded, expression remaining neutral though inwardly he wanted to scream. He'd known this was the next logical step as much as it irked him. For years now the scouts had painstakingly built supply depots leading out into the titan country beyond Wall Maria. Now that the wall was compromised, it was like they were starting from scratch. The only upside being that using their ODM gear would be significantly easier to use in territory where structures were already built.

Seeing the dark expression on Levi's face, Erwin sighed before taking a seat behind his desk. "I suppose we should just be grateful that the titans never advanced any further, but I cannot help but mirror your sentiments on the matter as well. It almost feels like every expedition up until this point has been a complete waste. Attaining funding for the Survey Corps is only going to get more difficult..."

Upon saying the last sentence, Erwin's eyes grew noticeably more tired, and Levi couldn't help but feel sorry for his leader. He knew firsthand how difficult it was to convince the fat pigs in the Interior that their efforts outside the walls were worthwhile. Despite the breach in Maria, they would still no doubt find ways to dig their heels in and insult the efforts of the Survey Corps. On top of all that, being the commander of the Scouts was quite frankly a thankless task that usually resulted in more criticism than it did praise.

It was midst these dreary thoughts that Erwin abruptly called out Levi's name, ripping him out of his inner monologue. "I almost forgot the whole reason I was planning on calling you in the first place, Levi. Here..."

Without another word, Erwin placed a small wooden box on the desk and pushed it towards Levi who looked at the box like it might explode at any moment.

"What's this, Eyebrows?" Asked the dark-haired soldier, glaring at the box suspiciously before making his way towards it slowly.

Erwin chuckled lightly, obviously amused by the ex-thug's natural paranoia. "Just open it, Levi. I'd hope by now you'd know that you can trust me."

"I do trust you," responded Levi flatly, opening the box with one swift flick. His eyes narrowed even more as he looked up at Erwin, a questioning look causing his brow to furrow. "Really?"

"Don't get so excited…Captain," Erwin drew the last word out, amusement twinkling in his blue orbs.

Sighing, Levi took the box and placed it in his jacket next to the folded up paper from earlier. "It just hardly seems appropriate given the circumstances..."

Erwin's face turned hard suddenly as he spoke with true confidence, "Our situation has never been ideal, Levi, but you've repeatedly proven your dedication to the Scouts and—most importantly—to humanity. Despite the tough facade you wear, this past year has proven to me that you are a loyal soldier capable of amazing feats. It would be utter foolishness on my part to not fully utilize your abilities as an officer in this company. I trust you will wear the badge with pride and bring honor to our regiment. Along with the title, I expect you realize you'll need to gather a squad of your own. I'll leave that entirely in your capable hands."

Carefully examining his new captain's face, Erwin struggled to understand why the soldier looked so...disappointed? No. Sad? It was hard to place. Even as convinced as he was of the ex-criminal's dedication, he was still very aware of the fact that he had a lot to learn about the man.

"What's bothering you, Levi? Do you not want the promotion?"

Sighing heavily, Levi shook his head lightly, dark locks swishing against his scalp. "It's not that...I appreciate your faith in me. I just don't feel particularly deserving of it at the moment."

Visions of a red-headed woman crumpling in his arms as he watched helplessly kept flashing in front of his eyes, and suddenly Erwin could see the answer as plain as day.

"Ah…" said the statuesque commander quietly, realization causing him to suddenly feel guilty for not inquiring after Mike's niece earlier.

Erwin would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't surprised by Levi's reaction to Coral's injuries. After all, they hadn't exactly been friendly towards one another since they'd both joined the scouts, but clearly there was more to their relationship than that. Perhaps it was because they both came from the Underground, or perhaps it was because of the way she was injured while Levi was present, but the woman's stint in the infirmary had visibly distressed his strongest soldier to a noticeable degree. Erwin had walked past the infirmary a number of times since Coral had been transported to headquarters, and it hadn't been uncommon for him to spot Levi passed out in a chair next to her bed.

"How is she?" Questioned the commander, disliking the fact that he'd been so busy he'd failed to visit Coral again since they'd transported her from the military police's hands.

He watched intently as Levi crossed his arms and stared deliberately past him out the window, worry creasing his brow. "Still asleep last time I was there..."

Erwin let out a deep sigh, wearily dragging a hand over his jaw. "It wasn't your fault, Levi. You know that, right?"

Levi snorted. "I know it's not my fault. If anything, it was the brat's fault for vaulting towards a bunch of armed men with nothing but a knife like a goddamn idiot. Still..." A sudden wave of distress was evident on Levi's face as he thought back to their visit to Smokey's home. "Her grandfather...the man saved my life."

Erwin grunted contemplatively, thinking over the story both Hange and Levi had reported to him earlier. Was that why Levi was being so attentive to Coral? Guilt?

"Smokey...or rather, David Preston, wasn't it? Such a strange turn of events. You said the man claimed Coral was part of a special bloodline, didn't you?"

Levi nodded, "Yes..." He shifted slightly, confusion causing his eyes to twitch back towards Erwin's. "It was strange how he talked about the Preston family…what he described reminded me of something Kenny told me as a kid."

"Oh?" Erwin was visibly interested, thick blond eyebrows lifting as they studied his friend's face intently. Levi had mentioned before how he'd been raised by the notorious villain. All in all, it was kind of unsurprising considering Levi's demeanor and skill set.

The Captain nodded again before deciding to plop down in a seat in front of Erwin's desk, crossing one of his legs over his other knee. "Her grandfather made it sound like Coral's family is similar to the Ackermans...different...but similar..."

Curiosity barely concealed, Erwin leaned back in his chair as he studied Levi. "You think Coral is like you and Kenny in this regard? What would that mean?"

Levi grunted, "I don't know. When she wakes up I intend on asking her more about it. If what the old man said was true, then Coral likely had a moment where her power was released...just like Kenny and I."

Intertwining his fingers, Erwin considered this deeply before continuing. "Have you thought to speak with Mike about this? Perhaps he knows more about the subject. He is her family after all."

"It's not a bad idea, I suppose. Although from what I gathered, the Zacharius family was in the dark about the Prestons and their past. Otherwise, I imagine the MPs would have made a point of hunting them down as well. I guess it's still worth talking to Mike about..." Levi sighed, considering the tall eccentric squad leader who had once pinned him to the street in the Underground. There was no doubting Coral's uncle was a powerful and capable man, but just how much did he really know about the girl's past? Surely he would have revealed more to Coral if he'd actually known anything.

Seeing the stressed expression on Levi's face, Erwin decided the change the subject. "What was it you were wanting to ask me earlier, Levi?"

Blinking rapidly, the captain suddenly recalled the whole reason he'd stomped into Erwin's office in the first place. "Right. I wanted to ask your opinion on something."

Erwin struggled to conceal his surprise. "Is that so?"

Levi shrugged, "Well, this could also work out in our favor depending on how we do it. Do you remember the two little girls Coral and I rescued from Shiganshina?"

Erwin nodded, patiently waiting for further explanation.

"Coral and I both promised their mother that we would make sure the girls were safe. As it stands currently though, we'll both be hard pressed to find a suitable home for them. Conditions in the city being what they are, housing is limited and thus so are our options. That being said, Cecilia and Adelaide aren't the only orphans who are going to need a permanent residence. Dozens of children have been spilling into Trost ever since Maria fell. As heartless as those pig fuckers in the Capitol are, I doubt even they could manage to come up with a convincing argument against building a new orphanage in the city for the refugee children the city is being forced to accommodate. If we were able to lobby them into allocating funds for such a project, we may even be able to convince them that it's a suitable recruitment platform for the Survey Corps. Eventually, once the brats are old enough, they could choose to enlist. Turn it into a kind of early training operation. You think you could swing those brass balls of yours in the Interior and get the higher ups to agree?"

Of all the things Erwin had been expecting from Levi, this idea was most definitely situated somewhere in the realm of nonexistence. He may have even blinked stupidly at the man for a few seconds before his mouth had dropped open slightly, a mixture of confusion and incredulousness warring on his handsome face.

Levi became noticeably more uncomfortable the longer his commander stared at him until finally he looked away, fighting to keep a blush off his face. "It's just an idea. I got a list of properties from the local records office this morning. Most of the shit that's left up for sale is all commercial. Made me think it might be more feasible to just start a whole new orphanage for all these homeless brats."

Resisting the urge to smile stupidly at his new captain, Erwin settled on a pleased smirk. "That's awfully altruistic of you, Levi. This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you and Coral are both orphans yourself, would it?"

Levi gave the man a biting glare, "You want to help me with this or not, Eyebrows?"

Deciding it was best not to push the short-tempered man any further, Erwin nodded sagely. "I'll be sure to bring it up in our next budget meeting. It's not a horrible idea in the least. We're always in need of new soldiers, and there's no arguing it would greatly benefit those refugee children."

Levi grunted. He knew he could always count on Erwin's opportunistic nature. He didn't relish the fact that the man was so quick to accept the idea of using children for future soldiers, but it would work out beneficially for everyone in the long run. In the meantime, he would make sure the girls would remain safe in the nursery until they figured out a more permanent solution.

"Thanks, Erwin," said Levi, standing to head for the door. He stopped just short of it though when another thought occurred to him. "Oh...and there's something else...and it's important..."

The blonde-haired commander quirked an eyebrow, interest piqued yet again.

"Ever meet a man named Harold Tamer?" asked Levi, glancing back over his shoulder.

Erwin nodded, "Yes. He's one of the MPs who works very closely with the king. I've met him once or twice before. Why do you ask?"

Hatred sparked in Levi's deep gray eyes and his mouth became a deep set frown. "He's the piece of shit who had Coral's family murdered. He had it done unofficially by leaving her father and grandfather outside the walls, and then he injured her mother so badly she died trying to escape him in the Underground."

Erwin's face darkened as he considered Levi's words. "I've always know the brigade employed some underhanded tactics, but to learn they're capable of such depravity is disturbing to say the least. I'll have to take this into consideration. Leave it to me, Levi..." He lifted his gaze to meet the stony-eyed man, "I'll do my best to gather more information on Tamer. After all, I can't have anyone threatening my soldiers. It seems unlikely that he hasn't already learned of Coral's continued existence. Unfortunately, his position will make him a formidable opponent. We'll have to approach the situation carefully."

"Do whatever you have to. Just know that Coral's life as well as ours may be in danger as long as that man is still alive...especially since her reputation has been growing..."

Erwin gave a curt nod, "I'll double guard duty around the infirmary, and I'll also be sure to speak to Mike about this. He should be made aware as well. If what Preston told you about Tamer is true then anyone with knowledge of his crimes is a potential threat to him."

Levi let out a heavy sigh, suddenly looking exhausted. "As if the goddamn titans weren't enough of an issue. Now we've got enemies among ourselves as well. This shit is getting old."

The commander ran a weary hand through his hair before taking another gulp of his now rapidly cooling coffee with a grimace before setting it back down with a weak clank. "No...it's always been like this..." he whispered quietly to himself, causing Levi to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shaking his head like he was trying to brush off a memory, Erwin put his cup down and dismissed his subordinate with an absentminded wave of his hand. "Don't mind me. Take the rest of the day off, Levi. I need you well-rested. I want you to begin considering who you want for your squad as quickly as possible. As I said earlier, we leave for our next expedition in a week, and I expect you to be ready."

Frowning slightly at the commander's cryptic words, Levi turned to give him a salute before leaving Erwin's office obediently, still silently mulling over the man's strange statement.

What the hell did he mean by that?

Not for the first time, Levi found himself wondering just how much Erwin really knew. Regardless, he'd dedicated himself to the man's orders and it simply wouldn't do to start questioning him now. When it came down to it, Levi would follow him into battle no matter what, and he'd kill whoever the hell he had to kill. The time for regrets had long since passed.

Pushing his morbid thought process to the back of his mind, Levi stomped off towards the mess hall, focusing instead on the idea of a warm cup of tea.

Fuck Titans and fuck politics. If anyone wants to kill me they'd best do it after I get my damn tea...

++No one stands between Levi and his tea! No one!

ANYway, thanks again to all who've been keeping up with me and reviewing so faithfully! I love you all!

-Saber


	11. Cora Preston

Chapter Eleven—Cora Preston

The first thing she was aware of was warmth. A ray of sunlight was shining through the sheer white curtain above her bed, and it had managed to land squarely across her eyelids. Coral's eyelids squeezed tightly for a moment before opening slowly, straining against her dry eyeballs and the sleep in the corners of her eyes. Her mouth parted even more slowly, and she smacked her chapped lips before running her tongue over the dry skin with a grimace. This caused her to parched throat to groan slightly, and it was this sound that caused Levi's eyes to shoot over to her from the book he was currently reading in the chair next to her bed.

Smacking it closed with a careless thud, Levi rose to his feet in a rush. Coral looked up at him in surprise, immediately noting how wide his normally thin, cynical eyes were.

"L-Levi?" She managed to rasp out, confusion etching her features.

"Took you long enough to wake up, kid. What a lazy soldier you turned out to be," he said before doing something Coral had never seen before.

Levi smiled.

He didn't smirk, grin, or sneer at her. He smiled.

Coral was so shocked she could hardly think straight. "Wha—who are you and what have you done with Levi?"

At that, he laughed, and Coral found herself reeling once again, baffled beyond reason by the clear, jovial sound.

"Are you trying to terrify me cause you're doing a good job," she said quietly, still gaping at him like a brain dead goldfish.

Coral was giving him the most flabbergasted expression he'd ever seen, but the relief he was feeling from her finally waking up coupled with the wealth of amusement he felt at her reaction to his smile was causing him to forget his normal emotional walls entirely. He was just so happy to hear her voice that he didn't give a fuck if he was smiling like a lunatic for once.

After a moment his smile became a pleased smirk and he sighed quietly as he looked down, face slightly more somber but still clearly painted with the relief he felt. "I'm sorry, Coral..." Levi said quietly before raising his eyes back up to meet hers, "I-I'm just really glad to see you awake."

Coral was overwhelmed with too many emotions to count. She was still utterly bewildered, but seeing Levi so happy was having a truly strange effect on her. A warmth was rising inside her body that reminded her of the first heady sip of a good glass of whiskey. Something about this unsuspecting outpouring of emotion from him of all people made her feel like maybe—just maybe—miracles really were possible. If Levi Ackerman was capable of smiling and laughing like a normal human being then perhaps he wasn't really the cold, calculated killer she'd always considered him to be.

Coral watched him still in utter fascination as he turned away from her, returning a moment later with a glass of water. Upon seeing the glass, Coral immediately realized just how desperately thirsty she really was and went to pull herself up, wincing in pain as she did so. Seeing her distress, Levi quickly looped his arms around her back, reaching under her arms while bracing her back as he did so and carefully helping her to sit up. Her face got hot as soon as he touched her, and she turned her face away from him as he held her.

"Easy, brat. You still have stitches in your side. It took them almost 3 hours to get you all sewn back together. Don't go ruining all their hard work, idiot." He admonished her, holding her steady as she took the glass from his hand.

Forcing herself to rip her eyes of wonder away from this totally new Levi, Coral took a few painful gulps, ignoring the pain in her side as she imbibed the wonderful liquid. Once she was done, he took the glass from her and placed it behind him on a table before helping her to ease back down onto the pillow, strong arms carefully lowering her as though she were a priceless fabergé egg.

"There. Just rest for a moment while I go get the doctor, okay?" Levi ordered her sternly, quickly hurrying away into an adjacent room.

What in the name of the walls is going on around here? What the hell happened to Levi while I was out? He's like a totally different person suddenly. Did a titan eat his fucking brain?

Her thoughts were cut short as Levi and a tall man in a white coat came hurrying back.

"Good to see you're finally awake, private. You gave us all quite the scare. I'm Doctor Thomas, pleased to meet you."

Coral blinked at him, thinking back to her rather idiotic rampage which had caused her to get shot and suddenly felt guilty. "Hello, doctor. I'm sorry for all this. It really was stupid of me..."

"Yes. It was." Levi said standing next to the doctor, arms crossed haughtily. Coral was suddenly relieved and couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face.

Never mind. This man was clearly still Levi Ackerman.

"No use getting upset over it now," said Doctor Thomas as he walked up to her bedside, "Everything turned out okay in the end. Now, if you wouldn't mind turning onto your good side so I can get a good look at that wound of yours…?"

"Of course," Coral responded, slowly rolling herself over so that her bandaged side was facing up. While the doctor went to pull aside the sheet and lift her shirt to inspect the injury, Levi turned away respectfully.

"I'll go let the others know you're awake," he informed her flatly before slipping past the curtained walls surrounding her bed.

Not long after the doctor finished redressing her wound and giving her a general check up, one of the curtains next to her bed was roughly pushed aside as her Uncle Mike and Hange came bursting in; Levi close behind. Mike dropped to his knees next to Coral's bed before grabbing her hand in both of his and squeezing them against his tear-streaked face. "Goddammit, Coral," he cried quietly against her skin, "Never do that shit to me ever again. I thought I'd lost you, kiddo."

Overwhelmed with guilt and sadness at the state of her normally rock steady uncle, Coral leaned forward and placed a kiss on his quivering hands. "I'm so sorry, uncle. I didn't mean to make you worry. I just kind of...lost my control when..." her words stuttered out and faltered as she suddenly thought back to her grandfather and the way he'd struggled to speak to her right before all the light had faded from his eyes.

Coral choked up suddenly and had to look away as she struggled with the realization that she'd lost yet another family member. Mike rose to his feet and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Levi and Hange told me what happened. I...we should talk about all that's happened a later time. Right now, you should finally eat and then get some rest."

Hange nodded, "Your uncle's right, Snakey. Don't stress out about it. Right now, we're all just glad you're alive. We can all come back later when you're feeling better." She patted Coral's blanketed foot comfortingly before disappearing back past the curtain, dragging Levi with her reluctantly.

Mike took the moment to go and find Coral some food, leaving her to her myriad of thoughts and emotions. Coral wanted to turn off her brain she was feeling so inundated with questions and feelings.

How long was I out I wonder? They all seemed really worried. I nearly died. What the hell was I thinking attacking those men like that? Still...that gang leader almost shot Levi instead of my grandfather.

As upset as she was at the passing of her newest family member, the thought of Levi dying caused a strange type of terror to wash over her, so powerful and raw it caused her whole face to twinge and she had to bring her hands to her face to rub at her temples. Her heart sped up as she thought about a bullet lodging between Levi's eyes then seeing that lifeless mask of death that her grandfather had had on his face on her comrade's face instead.

Why...why is that so much worse to think about?

Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted when Mike returned, wheeling over a side table that he was able to swing over her bed before placing her meal down on top of it. Coral blinked at the hot bowl of vegetable soup, and obediently reached for the spoon inside of it as her uncle ordered her to eat. She took tentative sips, blowing on the soup occasionally as she attempted to eat for the first time in what felt like forever.

"You were out for nearly a week," Mike told her somberly, watching her eat attentively, "They were thinking about giving you a feeding tube..."

Coral glanced up at him, frowning at the obvious sadness that weighed down on her beloved uncle as he stared at the bowl of soup in front of her.

"I—I mean it, uncle. I really am sorry I put you through all this," she said quietly, laying the spoon back down in the bowl, "After my grandfather got shot...I just...lost it. I couldn't even think. I just acted completely on impulse. I didn't even realize I'd been shot until Levi and Hange started yelling at me..."

Mike nodded, "You were very lucky, Coral. If they hadn't been able to get those MP doctors to operate on you, you would have bled out in the Underground."

Coral furrowed her brow at the thought before taking one more bite of her soup, a contemplative look on her tired face. "What a strange life this has turned out to be..." she said more to herself than anyone else.

Mike snorted, "You're telling me. After all this time, old man Preston was down there in the Underground. We all thought he was dead for sure."

Coral looked up her uncle, interest flashing in her green eyes, "So you did know him?"

Mike shrugged noncommittally, drawing forward the same chair Levi had been sitting in earlier and sitting down with a weary sigh. "Not really. I think I met him once or twice back when Margaret and Tom were still just dating. He was kind of a bastard to be quite honest. He never seemed to approve of their relationship. I don't know if it was snobbery or what, but our family never really got along with him because of it. I guess that's why he never came to us after he got back inside the walls. None of us even knew what happened until a friend of the family came to mom and told her that something had happened to Margaret and you. They said rumors were circulating that your mother had injured a military police officer and she'd been killed because of her actions. By the time my mother got to the house where you and your parents had lived, everything was already over. Aside from the obvious struggle, she told me she couldn't find either you or Margaret. Everything happened while I was out on one of my earliest expeditions. I came back to find mom waiting for me in the crowd, begging me to help her find Margaret and you. We went to the MPs to find out what happened, but they were about as helpful as you might expect they'd be. Now that we know the truth, it's no wonder they were such blatant obstructionists. It wasn't until years later when I heard about a red-headed, green-eyed orphan burning down an orphanage in the Underground that I started to piece together some hope. I got lucky when I met Tammy at the Hen's Roost. She was the only person willing to talk to me about you. Still, it took me years to track you down, and it was only possible between expeditions. I was afraid I'd end up dying before I found you, but..." he gazed into her eyes, determination on his handsome face, "I decided I wouldn't allow myself to die before I found you and made amends to Margaret for everything that happened. She told me one time how much she feared for your future. I didn't understand at the time, but now it makes perfect sense to me. Clearly, Tom had divulged his family's secret to her. They both knew that people would fear your power if they ever found out. I suppose after everything that happened with that piece of shit Tamer, she knew the only place you might be safe was down in that shit hole."

Coral's face darkened at the mention of the man who'd murdered her family, a twisted frown causing her upper lip to twitch in pure derision. "Harold Tamer...that's who did all this shit to us…" her hands gripped the sheet above her legs tightly, "I'm going to make that pile of excrement pay for what he did, uncle. I'm gonna rip his teeth out of his fucking skull and cram them down his putrescent throat."

Mike gave his suddenly murderous niece an appraising look, "I know I can't stop you, Coral, but we have to use our heads before we do anything rash. Tamer is a very powerful man. He's part of the King's inner circle. He's only gained more power since he murdered your parents. He used his privilege to keep it all under wraps, but the story could certainly prove a menace to his reputation. If he knows you;re still alive—and I'm sure he must by now—then our situation is more dangerous than ever. Erwin has had guards posted up around the infirmary 24/7 while you've been here, but the fact is it no longer affects just you. Now that David Preston divulged his story to us, everyone who is aware of the truth is now a target. We have to come up with a plan and soon. If he decides to act, we'll be hard pressed to retaliate without incurring the wrath of the entire military police brigade and possibly even the King himself. Erwin said he's already working on a solution, but none of us know what is going to happen next or who Tamer may employ to act upon his will."

Coral nodded sagely, anxiety building as she thought about how she'd inadvertently endangered so many of her friends and family. "I guess it's best we keep this to ourselves then..."

A thought suddenly occurred to her and her head whipped up, "When is the next expedition?"

"Soon." Mike replied, "In four days I think."

"Fuck." Coral cursed, "I guess there's no point in asking if I'll be allowed to go too…"

Her uncle gave her a stern look, "Of course not. The doctor already told me you're going to need at least two more weeks of bed rest before you can get back on your feet. If that wound opens back up or you tear it open even more while trying to ride or use your gear then we may not be able to stop the bleeding again. Although...I worry about how we're going to keep you safe while we're gone..." Mike frowned heavily at the thought.

"Exactly!" Coral practically screeched as she clung to the idea, "If you guys have to go out beyond the walls then I'm going to have to go with you whether you want me to or not. I don't even have to ride a horse, I could just stay in a wagon and provide support." Coral pushed her point doggedly, trying to make her Uncle meet her eyes.

Mike growled to himself, rubbing the bridge of his nose in irritation. "I'll think about it, Coral, but only because there's no one else I can think of right now who's both trustworthy and capable of defending you should the need arise. What a fucking mess this is..."

Coral nodded in agreement, a dark look clouding her emerald eyes. "Yeah. It really is. And to think, all of this happened because Hange wanted to dig up more titan stories."

Her uncle grunted, clearly annoyed, "Remind me to murder that woman if she ever comes to you again babbling about titan experiments. I swear, that woman will be the death of all of us."

Snickering, Coral patted her uncle's hand. "It's not her fault, uncle. Give her a break. Hange is just very dedicated to the cause. She knows you can only defeat your enemy if you understand them first. I have a feeling that crazy ass woman is gonna help us make a lot of progress towards ridding our world of titans actually."

"Yeah, unless she gets eaten first trying to pet one..." groused her uncle.

Coral laughed so hard her side started hurting and she smacked her uncle playfully. "Dammit, Mike. Don't make me laugh right now!"

Levi paused outside of the infirmary, listening intently to the melodic sound of Coral's laughter. His heart felt like a massive weight had lifted the moment he'd seen her eyes flutter open earlier today, and he now felt like he could finally breathe.

Leaning against the wall next to the door, Levi closed his eyes and relished the sound of her bubbly giggles, wondering to himself when it was that her voice had become so soothing to him. Ever since she'd become incapacitated he'd felt lost and virtually inconsolable. Hange had been giving him worried glances and badgering him about his health like she was a goddamn doctor now too. Although he'd shooed her off and told himself everything was fine, inside he was troubled with just how pathetic he felt. He'd never felt so useless before. The only feeling that could come close was when he'd found Isabel and Farlan's remains, but even then he'd been able to take out his fury on the titan who'd killed them.

Stop torturing yourself, you moron. She's awake now, isn't she?

Sighing, Levi smoothed a hand through his midnight-colored locks and straightened up before walking back into the infirmary with a determined look on his face. He inwardly hoped he didn't look as pitiful as he felt.

I feel like I'm turning into a fucking puppy. This woman is making me weak, but why…?

Trying not to think about the answer to his own question, Levi walked briskly over to the curtains around Coral's bed side and peeked in. Mike was standing to leave and he gave Levi a blatantly surprised look. He knew that Mike had taken note of the young captain's sudden attentiveness towards his niece. Levi had regularly caught him staring daggers at him when he'd sit by Coral's bed, a scrutinizing look on his face as he'd stared the far shorter man down like as though they were about to engage in an old fashioned duel.

Although Levi himself didn't fully understand what the hell was happening to him, Mike seemed to have an idea. He gave the soldier a rather reproachful look before squeezing Coral's hand and telling her that he'd be nearby if she needed anything. He walked past Levi, a warning flashing dangerously in his eyes and Levi couldn't help the sudden rise of defensiveness he felt within. He wasn't sure what Mike's problem with him was, but he figured it had a lot to do with the fact that Coral had been injured on his watch.

The red-headed invalid in the bed watched the exchange between the two of them with barely concealed confusion, one eyebrow raising at the scowl on her uncle's face.

"What the hell was that about?" Coral asked as Levi sat down in the chair next to her.

Levi shrugged, picking up his book while placing down the cup of tea he'd brought with him on Coral's table. "If I had to guess, I'd say he blames me in part for you getting shot."

Coral scoffed. "Mike is never so irrational. C'mon, Levi."

"Then fuck if I know," replied the stoic soldier, pushing the tea towards her. "Drink it before it gets cold, brat."

Coral snorted at him and glanced down at the cup. "Why do you call everyone a brat?"

"Cause everyone is a brat," replied Levi without missing a beat, flipping open his book and searching for his place. "Now drink the damn tea I made for you and get some rest. We need you back on the front lines."

Giving him a sour look to mask her amusement, Coral couldn't help but feel pleased with the fact that he was refusing to leave her side. "Is that a captain badge?" she asked, suddenly noticing the pin on his lapel.

Levi grunted. "Fucking Erwin..."

Coral giggled, "Of course he would. I'm surprised it took him this long. You're like his prized possession. His trophy he loves waving under everyone's nose. I'll never forget the look of satisfaction on his face when he came back from the Underground and told us he'd managed to snag you."

Levi frowned at her, "He didn't snag me." He said tersely, clearly incensed at her choice of words. "In fact, I knew the Survey Corps was coming for me. I let myself get caught."

"Oh, really? Is that so?" Coral chuckled at him, obviously dubious.

"Yes." He practically spit, gripping his book tightly.

"Alright. Whatever, Captain," she drew the word out teasingly long, relishing how he squirmed when she said it. "All I know is that Erwin certainly has turned you into a good soldier. Who'd have ever thought Humanity's Strongest used to be a thug from the Underground city."

"Yeah, and who would think that Cora Zacharius the Undying was originally a vicious little street urchin?" Levi responded, turning his eyes back to his book.

Coral blinked at him in surprise, "The Undying? What the fuck are you talking about, short stack?"

Ignoring her insult, Levi smirked at his book, "It started circulating soon after we brought you back. Some of the soldiers started joking about you being impossible to kill and the name stuck I guess. The papers even printed it when word of your injury got out."

"I was in the fucking papers?!" Coral gasped out, horror causing her eyes to bug out slightly causing Levi to smirk at her discomfort.

"Well, we couldn't exactly keep it quiet. Hange and I had to threaten the MPs. Plus, a significant number of people saw us carting you out of the Underground after you were stable enough to move. Apparently that flaming fucking hair of yours makes quite the impression on people," he said, flipping a strand of her hair that had fallen over her eyes with his hand playfully, enjoying how flustered she got when he did.

Coral blushed much to her chagrin and turned her attention to her tea cup, hoping Levi couldn't see how much he'd affected her. "It's Preston..." she said quietly, and Levi looked up from his book in surprise.

"Huh?"

"It...it's Preston now. Cora Preston."

++Had to leave it on that sweet note. Tee Hee! Please, good people, tell me what you think so far! Let me know if I'm forgetting something important! R+R! I love you all. Thank you for every review I've gotten. They mean the fucking WORLD to me!

-Saber


	12. Just Like Her Mother

Chapter Twelve—Just Like Her Mother

"Absolutely not."

Coral felt her heart sink, but inwardly she knew there was zero point in arguing. Once Erwin adopted that tone of voice the argument was no longer up for discussion. Next to Erwin, Levi appeared to be even angrier than their leader. Ever since Mike and Coral had brought up their idea, the look on his face had morphed from a slight scowl into an outright frown and he looked like he might actually growl at her.

Appearing only slightly less irate than his captain, the tow-headed commander turned his gaze to Mike who was looking mildly abashed under the hard-faced man's stare. "You seriously let her try to talk you into this, Mike? What were you thinking?"

Running a hand through his hair, Mike sighed, "The only reason I even considered it is purely because of the situation with Tamer. If we leave Coral here with nothing but garrison officers and MPs, she could be left utterly defenseless!"

"I'm not that pathetic. Geez." Coral crossed her arms where she sat on her hospital bed, "It's not like I can't shoot a gun. We're not talking about titans here. A trigger isn't that hard to squeeze, recovering bullet wound or no."

At the foot of her bed, Hange looked like she wanted to roll her eyes. "Obviously, Coral, but we don't know the extent of our enemy's reach. There's no telling who he could have under his employ! If he decided to take action, Tamer could send one man or twenty. Not to mention, he likely already has a number of soldiers secretly on his payroll. It's simply too dangerous to leave you here under the care of anyone other than dedicated scouts."

"Then let me go on the fucking expedition with you guys!"

"Again, that is not going to happen," said Erwin, thick yellow eyebrows creasing as his eyes flashed in irritation. "I refuse to take a gravely wounded soldier into the field. Not only would it be extremely dangerous for you should any titans make it to the wagons, but it would also put other scout's lives in danger were they to try and defend you. It's a horrible idea in multiple ways. I may be a gambling man, but only when there's no other viable options."

Coral opened her mouth to try and offer a rebuttal but none were forthcoming. She had to admit that he was right. She wanted to say it wasn't true and that she could handle herself, but she knew that was a flat out lie. She couldn't even bathe by herself as of yet, and she could just barely walk. There was no way she would be anything but a massive liability on the battlefield. They could try to avoid titans as much as possible, but inevitably there would be a fight, and her broken ass laying in a wagon would cause nothing but trouble for every one.

Breathing out slowly in an effort to calm herself, Coral turned her eyes back to the Commander. "Alright. I understand. I hate it, but I understand. Still...what's the plan then?"

Gazing levelly at her, Erwin began to explain himself. "After deliberating on the subject all last night I came up with a fairly simple solution. I'm not overly fond of it, but it's the only option I think we have presently. Until we return from the expedition, Coral will remain here in a secret location with Levi. The doctor will be nearby in case of an emergency, but otherwise you two are to keep this all to yourself until we return. The less anyone knows about our predicament, the better. We have little to no current advantage in this mess. Frankly, I find it miraculous that Tamer hasn't made a move against Coral or Mike since she joined the scouts. It's possible he simply didn't make the connection before, but now that the papers have printed her name we can no longer assume that he is ignorant about what we know. He's a man with a mile long list of connections. He does not operate on the same principles as the rest of the military police bridge, and although that should sound encouraging, let me assure you all—it is not."

At the sound of his name, Levi's eyes had flicked over to the Commander in surprise."I thought you said me you wanted me ready for the next outing?" He asked once Erwin came to the end of his speech.

Erwin grunted in acknowledgment, "True, but that was before I had completely assessed our situation. Currently, you're the only officer who does not yet have a fully assembled squad. Since I promoted you so recently, you've no doubt taken some time to choose some of your team, but the fact remains that preparations for such a change do not currently have enough time to be enacted before our next expedition. I've barely managed to fill out any of the paperwork. Understandably, these past few weeks have been an absolute disaster literally and figuratively. Formation of your squad will have to wait until we return from the expedition. Therefore, it only makes sense that you be the one who stays behind. Not to mention, I'm sure we'd all feel a lot better about Coral's safety if we knew that our best soldier was staying behind to guard her well being. I would have Mike stay, but I will need him to lead his squad or our formation will be in shambles. At any rate, you are more than capable of dealing with whatever scum Tamer throws our way. Would you not agree, Mike?"

The commander turned his attention to Mike who was forced to grunt in reluctant agreement. He wasn't currently feeling overly fond of the new captain, but he had to admit that Levi's skills were second to none. If anyone could handle a multitude of trouble by himself then it was most definitely Levi Ackerman.

Apparently accepting Mike's less than eager acceptance, Erwin looked back to Coral. "Now, once we return we'll have to come up with an actual plan of action. I think we can all agree that it would be foolhardy for us to allow Tamer time to execute an attack on the scout regiment without coming up with one of our own. We are severely out matched in this situation as far as intel is concerned. Unfortunately, our response will have to be delayed due to the timing of this expedition, so all we can do is hope he ignores this opportunity. Personally though, I know that if I were in his position, I'd use this expedition as a means to achieve my goals. If there were ever a time to launch an attack, now would be an excellent time. If my instincts about the man are correct, he won't wait long to clean up so many lose ends that implicate him in such a serious criminal scandal. With the majority of us beyond the walls and Coral injured, I can honestly say I'd be surprised if we return and no incidents have occurred. That is why we will move her out of the infirmary and keep her move a secret between us. If Tamer does decide to make use of this window, he'll be forced to track her down. I'll do my best to plant fake leads, which will hopefully draw him away from her actual location. It's a weak plan admittedly, but it's all we have currently. Still better than taking her with us and potentially getting her killed by titans."

Coral wanted to scream. She hated feeling like this. Not only was she injured and physically helpless, but now she was also a potential liability to the entire regiment due to some murderous sack of shit from the Interior. It felt like there was absolutely nothing in her control anymore. Normally, she was a slayer of Titans. Today, she was just an invalid who had inadvertently drawn in danger on herself and her comrades.

"Alright, well, when do we initiate this shit plan?" asked Levi, looking bored as he leaned against the wall next to Coral's bed.

"I was considering having you two leave as soon as possible for the area I have in mind, but that would only draw more suspicion. Instead, I'll have both of you wait till tomorrow morning when we leave for the expedition, and we'll part ways once we reach the wall. After the regiment has left, you and Coral will slip away and make your way to the location I give you. Once there, it would behoove both of you to remain indoors and vigilant. If all goes as planned, I'll have Hange retrieve you both once we've returned."

After a few more minutes of discussion, the majority of the group dispersed and Coral was left to pack up her things with Mike. He made sure she had enough clothes for a few days, as well as a few of her books and journals to keep her occupied so she wouldn't die of complete boredom. Along with a fresh uniform, Mike also gave her a very long and heavy black cloak. "Make sure you put this on after you and Levi depart tomorrow. Do your best to stay out of sight and not draw any attention to yourself. It shouldn't be too difficult for you two to disappear. Erwin has ordered two of the wagon drivers to escort you both and pause at the outskirts of the city. It'll give you the chance you need to slip back into Trost and head towards the hideout. The owner of the place is a close friend of Erwin's, which is all you really need to know. I made sure that it was well stocked so neither of you should have to leave the house." Mike paused at this point, seemingly struggling with his next words, "I-I won't lie, Coral. I hate this plan. Not only is it half-assed and risky, it also puts you in close quarters with that thug for at least a day or two. I honest to God wish I could come up with something better, but Erwin is right. We won't be able to protect you out there, and inside these walls, there's no man who's more dangerous than Levi. Still...that's partly what bothers me."

Coral gave him a quizzical look. She knew that Mike and Levi weren't exactly chummy, but her uncle had never really made a point of distrusting him before this. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to her considering Levi had literally joined their ranks as a criminal in the first place. Ever since that first expedition though, she'd thought that Mike had gradually grown to trust Levi's intentions—perhaps even admire him a little. Now, however, her curiosity was rising as she studied the intense battle that was taking place in her uncle's eyes.

"What's the matter, uncle?" She asked him, drawing herself further upright as she regarded his expression intently, "Did something happen between you two? I saw the look you gave him the other day. You don't honestly blame Levi for what happened to me, do you? Because that's just n-"

Mike cut her off by shaking his head, "No. It's not that at all. God, but you're still so young, Coral. I forget sometimes just how inexperienced you are in certain areas, because you're such a capable soldier but in the end you're still just a kid. Your whole life you've been fighting for your survival, so it baffles me sometimes when you fail to realize just how much of an effect you have on people—especially men."

She frowned heavily at him, confusion and annoyance twisting up her face at the implication that she was still a naive young girl, but Mike ignored her expression and continued. He removed her stuffed pack that was sitting on the bed and placed it on the floor, golden eyes focused intently on her as he thought of how to address her with his thoughts. "How well do you think you really know the Captain?"

Coral shrugged, "'Bout as well as anyone, I guess? The man's a complete mystery to all of us though, so that's not exactly odd. Why do you ask?"

Mike glanced around as though making sure that Levi wasn't about to pop out of the shadows any second, "Because, Coral...I've seen the way he looks at you. You don't notice it clearly, but I know exactly what that look in his eyes is. He may not even know it himself yet, but Levi is clearly attracted to you."

Coral's face turned ghostly pale, shock causing her mouth to drop open slightly as she scoffed. "C'mon, uncle. Levi? Levi fucking Ackerman? I don't think the man even hasfeelings other than hatred and derision." She said, blatantly ignoring the memory of him smiling at her when she'd woken up.

Mike snorted and rolled his eyes, "The man may be tough as nails and a complete grouch, but he's still a man, Coral. Just...just be careful around him, okay? You two are gonna be stuck together for a little while, and I don't want to have to murder him when I get back. I'm not sure I can to be quite honest, but I'd still have to try."

Trying to will away the blush on her face, Coral shook her head vigorously, "Mike, listen, you reaaaaallly shouldn't worry yourself over this. I'm not sure where you got this idea in your head, but whatever happens, I can assure you that Levi and I are just...well, shit I'm not even sure I should call him a friend. I mean, does Levi even really have friends? The only people he even tolerates anymore since he lost Isabel and Farlan are Erwin, Hange, you, and me, and we still barely even know him! I feel pretty confident when I say you've got to be mistaken about this."

"Coral, nearly the entire time you were out following your injury, Levi stayed in this room and hardly ever left your side. Frankly, he spent more time by your beside than even I did… I've never seen him take that much of an interest in any soldier's recovery." He let that information sink in briefly, noting how Coral began to look even more embarrassed and...pleased? He certainly hoped not. He couldn't think of a single man who would be worse for his niece than the trouble prone Captain.

The redhead could hardly bring herself to meet her uncle's eyes, the pink blush on her cheeks steadily worsening as she considered his words.

Was her uncle right?

Sure. Levi had been there when she'd woken up, but did his presence really mean he was interested in her like that? Surely, he was wrong...surely…

And even if Mike is right, what do I care? It's not like I feel the same way about him, right? I mean, sure he's undeniably handsome, but romance? With THAT lump of stone? What girl would be stupid enough to try to love a killer like him?

Even after her uncle had left, Coral found herself battling these thoughts for the next few hours as she tossed and turned on her tiny bed in the infirmary, valiantly attempting to get comfortable with the injury in her side and push thoughts of Levi from her stubborn mind. It was nearly midnight before she finally drifted off to sleep.

An oppressive sort of darkness covered the royal capital of Mitras. Residents had long since retreated into their homes, abandoning the wet streets that were now being steadily drenched with warm droplets. A light drizzle was assaulting a carriage as it pulled up to the front of Harold Tamer's estate, driver bent low against the rain with his head covered by a now very wet cloak. The man didn't so much as whisper a complaint however as the door to the carriage swung open to reveal a stern-faced middle-aged man wearing a simple white shirt covered by a long leather trench coat that he pulled tighter against him in the face of the rain. Clutching his wide-brimmed hat to his head, the man took his first step and immediately landed in a puddle.

Cursing profusely, he turned to the driver and barked loudly at him, "Damn fool! What kind of shit for brains servant parks in a fucking puddle?!"

The servant bowed his head even further, "Apologies, my lord, I never-"

"Tch. Fuck you and your excuses. You're lucky it's raining, and I don't feel like standing out here as I beat your ass black and blue..." grumbled the man, turning his glare away from the driver. He hastily slammed the door to the carriage before striding towards the front door of his master's house.

Percy Whitaker knew better than to keep Harold Tamer waiting. The old soldier was well known for his complete lack of patience and impossibly short temper. The old bastard was unpredictable, but he'd come to rely on Percy heavily over the years due to the man's impeccable track record and his impressive results. He'd quickly rose through the ranks until he was Tamer's right hand man. If something had to get done and it had to get done right, Percy was the man to call.

"Wind, shine, or rain…"Percy complained quietly to himself, flapping his jacket free of water in annoyance.

Sneering at the lousy weather, he stomped up to the front door only pausing once when he saw a small mouse skitter past the front step. Acting on impulse, he used his heavy boot to snag the mouse's skinny tail before stomping harshly on the rodent with a sickening squelch. Upon hearing the bones crack in the tiny creature's body, Percy gave a disgusted grimace before lifting it onto the edge of his boot and kicking it off the step and into the darkness beyond.

"Nasty creatures..." he said to himself before knocking on the door firmly.

Seconds later, a servant appeared and bade him enter into the foyer. The young woman took his wet cloak and hat before informing him that the master was in the adjacent study. Brushing back his wet mane of dark hair, Percy made his way quietly into the room, coming to a stop in front of his boss's large oaken desk. Behind the desk, standing quietly in front of a roaring fireplace stood Tamer. He was a heavy-set man with one pale blue eye accompanied by a black silken eyepatch, rusty blonde hair, and a jagged tear of a mouth that rarely smiled when it was out of the presence of the king or other nobles. That patronizing charm was reserved solely for when he was talking up aristocrats or kissing the king's ass. Outside of that, he was grim-faced and generally miserable in nature. Tamer relied on booze and women for his brief bouts of happiness, and it was a glass of cognac in his hands that currently had the job of calming his frazzled nerves. He gave Percy an appraising look with his one good eye as the man waited calmly in front of his desk. Percy often wondered about that damaged eye of his. He'd made the mistake of bringing up the man's injury one day, and it had clearly been a sore issue. Out of self preservation, he no longer brought up the subject.

"Well?" Tamer snipped at him, "Everything ready?"

"Of course, sir," replied Percy calmly, "It shouldn't be hard for me to execute the plan. According to my source, they've been focusing their efforts on protecting the girl. They'll never see me coming."

Tamer grunted, "Hmmmph...are you sure you'll be able to pull it off so easily? Those two aren't exactly your typical prey." He said quietly, pale eyes gleaming as he stared intently at the white hot embers of the fire.

Percy tried not to reflect the irritation he felt at having his abilities questioned. Skillfully controlling his expression, the seasoned killer simply narrowed his eyes, confidence in his voice as he responded. "I have no doubts of my ability to complete the mission, my Lord. As I said before, their attention will be elsewhere. A man such as him doesn't have the privilege of entertaining a divided mind. When they least expect it, I'll make my move and no one will be any the wiser. You will in no way be implicated, and the public will assume what they always do."

Harold gave his second in command a long, hard stare.

"Fine..." he said after a moment, placing his glass on his desk before scooping up a sheath of papers. "These might prove useful. I trust you remember what they look like, but I made sure to get full reports on each of them after we spoke last. This lot could turn out to be extremely troublesome for me and my family if you fail in this, remember that well." Tamer turned his gaze back to Percy, a stern warning clearly written on his face.

"Don't fuck this up, Whit." Tamer said gruffly.

Percy gave his boss a terse but obedient bow and turned to leave before stopping near the door, a sudden thought causing him to hesitate. "What of the girl, sir? Shall I send Nunez?"

Tamer shook his head, jowls shaking as a truly disturbing grin took over the man's face, and Percy couldn't help but tremble slightly at the expression. He hated it when his boss smiled. It was like looking into the face of the Devil.

"No. No. Not Nunez. That man always makes a mess. I want her brought to me in one piece. After all..." his eyes glinted dangerously as he traced the rim of his glass with one fat finger, a sudden look of hunger overtaking his face, "I hear she looks just like her mother..."

++Yikes. Am I right, ladies? Anyway, sorry this chapter is kinda short. The next one should be much, much longer. Finally gonna have some action coming up. ;) As always, please keep the reviews coming. I live for them!

-Saber


	13. Executed Plans

Chapter Thirteen—Executed Plans

It had all gone much more smoothly than Coral had anticipated. Once they reached the outskirts of Trost, the two covered wagons did just as Mike had said and Levi and Coral were able to slip between them into an alley, dragging on their long cloaks as they did. She struggled for a second with the cloth, lightly wincing as she tried to ignore the pain in her side. She was being forced to ride a horse, but she'd be damned if she let Levi see just how uncomfortable it was for her.

The man never missed much though, and he grabbed the reins of her horse firmly, stopping the animal in place as he reached for her cloak and helped situate it on her shoulders before pulling it over her head.

Coral groaned in annoyance as he did so. She was so tired of feeling like a child. The sooner those stitches came out the better.

"Thanks," she grumbled at him, pulling the cloak against her chest and clicking to her horse.

They'd given her a new animal entirely. No one had ever managed to recover her horse Major after they'd fled Shiganshina, and she'd been forced to move on without her old faithful companion. The news that he was likely dead had been hard on her. After all, she'd had the old gelding since her first expedition. Still, the horse she was currently riding was a truly magnificent creature as well.

Fara was an appaloosa, one of the few she'd ever seen. Her predominantly pure white hide was covered in dark spots, spilling from her head down to her strong neck and gathering in small areas mainly around her fetlocks and knees like as though someone had grabbed a can of dark brown paint and tossed it in wild sprays all over the animal.

Coral mused wryly to herself how truly eye-catching her horse was while they were trying so hard to lay low. The reasoning for Erwin's choice however was less about Fara's unique coloring and more due to the horse's composed nature and extremely smooth gait. He'd assured her that out of all the horses in the stable, Fara was easily the best for transporting an injured soldier. He'd also informed her that the animal was one of their fastest, so should the need to flee arise, any pursuers would be hard pressed to catch her.

"Our breeder claims this horse is actually from an ancient bloodline of horses who were once bred for desert racing and travel," Erwin had told her, stroking the horse's velvety nose as the creature nuzzled against him pleadingly, "Apparently, they were known as Arabians. It could all be fantastical nonsense, but Fara is easily one of our prime mares. Take good care of her, Coral. Someday I'd very much like to turn her into a broodmare."

Coral gave the horse a loving scratch along her mane and patted her reassuringly as she thought back to the memory from that morning, "Don't worry, girl. I'll protect you from gross Erwin. I'll make sure you don't have to breed with any jerk stud unless it's for love," she whispered to the horse, leaning down slightly against Fara's neck.

Levi apparently heard her and raised a questioning eyebrow in her direction, "What the hell are you blathering about over there, brat?"

"Nothing that concerns you, captain. It's between me and Fara."

The black-haired soldier gave her a withering look before moving to turn his own horse down a roadway leading out of the city. Coral couldn't help but laugh a little as she considered Levi's new steed as well. The stallion was black from head to hoof, feisty as all hell, and impatient to boot. It was like they'd chosen the horse that most closely resembled Levi on purpose. In truth though, Levi had picked the horse out himself. One of the stable hands had tried to warn him before he did, stumbling in haste behind the captain as he attempted to stop the determined soldier.

"I wouldn't, Captain Levi! Hellion nearly tore a chunk out of Hange the other day. He's barely even properly halter broken!"

Levi gave the stable hand a stony eyed look that clearly told the man to back off, and Coral had smirked as the young soldier took a step back, mouth suddenly clamped shut.

The captain had ducked under the rope closing off the stall and made his way towards the horse who was dancing about in warning, tossing his great black head up and down with a wild look in his bulging eyes. In an instant, Levi grabbed the harness on the creature's head and pulled it down so the horse was in direct eye contact with him. The animal shuddered, but didn't move anymore, large white eyes looking at the man in what appeared to be sudden recognition. Using his other hand to gently stroke the horse's neck soothingly, Levi whispered quietly in the creature's erect ear, "Hellion, eh? Tch. You're just a horse that doesn't suffer fools."

Standing in the aisle of the stable, Coral and the stable hand had both stood there gaping at the self-assured captain as he lowered the rope and led his newly chosen horse out.

Even now, as they rode through the gate leading into the inner portion of Wall Rose, Coral watched in fascination as Hellion responded obediently to her companion's every slight command. Levi barely had to click his tongue or tap his heels against the horse's flank and Hellion's response was both immediate and obedient.

They sped up slightly as they neared the gate and Coral struggled to keep pace with the impatient captain. Levi clearly wanted to be rid of Trost and quickly. They came to a stop in front of a pair of garrison soldiers who eyed the pair warily as they neared.

Without hesitation, Levi whipped out a folded letter that was no doubt a handwritten pass from Erwin himself. As one of the soldiers moved to take the pass from Levi, Hellion took the opportunity to nip angrily at the man's arm. The soldier jumped back in surprise just in time and worked his way further back away from the horse's head, quickly snatching the paper out of Levi's outstretched hand, a look of fear on his face. Coral noted in amusement that Levi was smirking heavily at the soldier.

Yup. They're perfect for each other. Both complete assholes.

Once they passed through the wall, they followed the road for roughly another fifteen minutes until finally they came to a small inroad that led into a heavily wooded area. They continued down the narrow dirt road until eventually they reached a small two story house. The yard was overgrown and it was very clearly abandoned. A few of the shutters were hanging and leaves were sitting in piles on the full length covered front porch.

They came to a stop in front of the shabby little home, Levi immediately dismounting and moving to Coral's side. She reluctantly allowed him to help her down from Fara, never daring to make eye contact with the soldier as he placed her on the ground with virtually no effort.

Levi looked oddly at her as she mumbled an embarrassed thanks, moving to grab her pack off of her saddle. He stopped her by grabbing the pack himself. "Head on inside. I'll take care of the horses."

Giving him a slight nod, Coral turned and made her way into the house. The downstairs was mostly barren. There was a ratty looking couch in front of an extremely soot black fireplace and not much else. Towards the back of the house was a small kitchen stocked with a small amount of food that must have been left by Mike. A short staircase led up to where the bedrooms were located. Coral chose the one nearest the stairs and casually draped her long cloak on a chair in the room. It was dusty and cold but there was a four post bed with a large quilt and what appeared to be recently cleaned sheets. Thankfully, Mike seemed to have taken her comfort into consideration.

Walking slowly back down the stairs, Coral went about digging through the provisions that had been left on the kitchen table. She found a tin of tea leaves and started boiling a kettle on the little stove. After a while, she heard the door open and Levi walked in before making his way upstairs. A few dull thuds from upstairs informed her that he'd dropped off their gear in their rooms.

His light footsteps soon reappeared and she could feel his presence as he came into the kitchen. A moment later and he was next to her as she stared at the steadily warming kettle. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and realized he was staring at her intently.

"What?" Coral asked quietly, not daring to look away from the stove.

"You're bleeding," he said flatly, and she glanced down at her side in surprise.

Sure enough, a bright spot of red had seeped into her white blouse and she cursed in irritation. The ride over had no doubt exacerbated her wound and caused it to bleed again.

"Sit," ordered Levi, pointing to a chair by the table.

Not even bothering to argue with him, Coral sat down obediently, watching in interest as he went to grab something from the living room. A moment later, he reappeared with a small bag. Sitting down next to her, he opened the bag and drew out a fresh roll of gauze and bandages.

He gave her a weird look as she sat there staring at his movements, "You're going to have to lift your shirt. I need to make sure the stitches didn't tear open. If they did, I might have to go get the doctor."

Cursing mentally, Coral slowly pulled out her tucked shirt, holding it pinned just underneath her breast. Mike's words from the night before were running through her mind like errant children, impossible to catch and insanely annoying.

"Did they tear?" She forced herself to ask calmly as his hands unrolled the bandage around her stomach.

"I can answer that once I actually see it, brat," he mocked her quietly, hands deftly unwrapping her injured side. Finally, he was able to slowly peel away the soaked gauze and her wound was revealed.

Sucking in her breath as the gauze pulled painfully at her stitches, Coral clamped her eyes shut and shuddered.

"Sorry," Levi said, briefly glancing up at her before returning them to her wound.

Coral blinked at him, a small look of shock gracing her features before she roughly shoved it away. Since when did Levi apologize for anything?

"Well, they don't appear to be torn, just weeping. Stay put," Levi said authoritatively, standing up and turning to head for the sink. He stopped briefly to pick up the now steaming kettle and placed it to the side before grabbing a clean rag from the bag on the table and soaking it with water from the sink.

Seconds later, he was at her side again this time kneeling next to her chair and dragging the warm cloth across the skin around her wound, tenderly mopping up the dried blood.

Coral couldn't bring herself to look away from the patient expression on his handsome face as he worked, careful hands stroking the cloth slowly down her ribs being sure to cause as little discomfort as possible. She watched him in fascination, still clutching her shirt to her breast and unconsciously shuddering in pleasure as he cleaned.

Dammit, Coral, pull yourself together! You're a titan killer for fuck's sake! Stop melting into his touch like some addle-brained girl.

Though she tried, Coral couldn't stop the pleasant warmth that she felt blossoming deep in her belly as Levi placed one strong hand on the small of her back and began wrapping a new bandage around her firmly. She knew she was blatantly staring at him now, but she couldn't help it. His gear wasn't on, but he'd donned a simple gray v-neck shirt that was pulled tightly against him by his leather harness. Coral found herself admiring the dip of his collarbone as it met his pale neck. She resisted the urge to brush her hand through the midnight black locks of his hair that were gently brushing his face as he rocked back on his heels, finally tying off his handiwork.

Once he was done, Levi stood up and Coral went to do the same, waving unsteadily in her haste to get away from him while her mind was spinning so dangerously with lustful thoughts. Levi immediately grabbed her shoulders to steady her so she didn't trip over the chair behind her, and their eyes locked onto each other. Coral struggled to breathe as he examined her face, hands tightly gripping her upper arms.

"You're shaking..." he whispered softly, cloudy eyes lowering to her flushed pink quivering lips.

Coral gulped slightly, but couldn't tear her own eyes away from him, "Am I?"

She felt like the whole world was falling away around them. All she could focus on was the weak poutiness of his lips and the almost scared expression in his storm gray eyes.

"L-Levi…?" Coral stuttered out quietly, and the sound of his name seemed to rip him out of wherever it was he'd gone.

He released her in an instant like as though her touch burned him, and he spun away, cursing quietly under his breath.

"Go change that shirt, brat. Make sure you don't stress your injury anymore. I don't want to have to do that all over again."

His words stung her slightly, and Coral strained to push away the hurt that flashed across her face. Levi busied himself with the tea leaves and kettle, back stubbornly turned to her as she walked back up the stairs.

Closing the door behind her once she entered her room, Coral stopped for a moment and leaned back against the door, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to steady her breathing. Her heart was still racing wildly, pounding crazily like as though it was trying to break free of her chest.

What the hell just happened? Was he about to kiss me?

Once her heart had slowed to a reasonable level, Coral changed her shirt and laid down, suddenly too distracted and anxious to go back down for tea. She snuggled deep into the quilt, fiercely commanding her mind to be silent as she willed herself into blissfully quiet sleep.

Silently glaring at his tea cup, Levi suddenly found he had exactly zero appetite. He glanced towards the stairs before rising with the cup in hand and making his way to Coral's door. He knocked lightly on the door, but she didn't answer. Peeking inside, he saw her curled up form on the bed, and he closed the door quietly before returning to the kitchen. He sat the cup down on the table and sighed. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Levi shut his eyes and tried to calm down.

The hell was that, you idiot? He inwardly berated himself, wondering how everything had come to this.

What was he thinking? He'd actually almost kissed Coral a moment ago. He'd really wanted to do it. The sight of her shuddering in his hands had been almost too much for him. She'd been so stunning and vulnerable in that moment, gazing up at him with those sea green eyes of hers. It had taken all his willpower to stop before acting on impulse like a love struck fool.

What the fuck was I even thinking? That's just it. I wasn't thinking. Damn Erwin for putting me in this position. Ever since she got hurt I haven't been able to keep that fucking woman out of my head. Why can't I stop thinking about her? What kind of idiot must I be if I'm actually considering getting romantic with a fellow soldier while all this shit is happening? I can't exactly protect Coral if I'm too busy ogling her like a fool.

Groaning in frustration, Levi set about cleaning the downstairs. He poured himself into his work, doggedly avoiding thoughts of Coral and their tense moment in the kitchen. He scrubbed the house furiously like as though he could do the same thing with his own mind. Inwardly though he knew that it was going to a be a rough couple of days and it was just getting started.

The Survey Corps had hardly left the gates of Trost when the first of the titans began to appear. Thankfully though, Erwin was able to direct them away from the oncoming giants and they managed to avoid fighting the two 10 meter classes as they weaved their way towards Erwin's first marked location. It was a small village about halfway to Shiganshina called Ravina. Unfortunately, it wasn't much of a stop and the buildings were hardly conducive to effective titan slaying, but it's location was pivotal. He hoped they could set up a supply depot in one of the existing buildings and be on their way quickly, but he knew how quickly his best laid plans could deteriorate once they entered titan country.

They reached Ravina around noon and Erwin was frustrated to see that titans had followed them all the way to the village.

"Mike!" Erwin called out to the sandy-haired squad leader, "Take your squad and eliminate that titan advancing on Ravina. Rashad and Dita, deal with the two coming from the rear."

The groups of soldiers immediately headed for their respective goals, turning their horses to head towards the incoming danger. Erwin was glad that at least none of the titans were abnormals. Nearest to Ravina, Mike made quick work of the tallest titan, landing roughly on top of the the monster's gigantic head as it crashed down onto a shed. The soldier quickly remounted as the corpse began to sizzle, tall plumes of steam rising rapidly as it decayed.

To the east, Rashad's group tag teamed one of the titans and had it down relatively quickly. Dita's group however seemed to be struggling to find a good approach to theirs. There were no nearby trees or buildings and the lumbering giant had stopped, reaching out to slap one of the new recruits off her horse. The fresh cadet who Erwin managed to recall was named Silvia screamed in bloodcurdling horror as the titan brought her to its mouth, grinning in manic hunger as it chomped her in two. Blood sprayed out in a cloud and one of the other soldiers used the beast's inattention to launch a hook into its shoulder and take out a fat chunk of the titan's nape before it could continue its meal.

Erwin cursed quietly to himself as he looked at Silvia's severed lower half now laying in a growing lake of blood as her entrails continued to spill onto the ground. One of the other new recruits immediately started vomiting at the sight, spilling his breakfast all over the side of his horse's flank.

"Keep moving!" Erwin called out, riding towards Ravina, "We need to use this opportunity to get the supplies out before more titans arrive!"

To his left, a wagon filled with gas tanks, blades, and dried goods was making its way into the town. Erwin followed it from a distance, the rest of the formation regrouping around his location. He ordered two squads to defend the wagons while he and the others looked for a suitable supply depot. While his soldiers encircled the wagons defensively, Erwin called Mike and Hange along with their squads to scout out the town. Together, they rode in a group before splitting up and skirting the small village.

Ravina had been nearly decimated. A few of the houses had actually been completely squashed, broken slats of wood slashing out at odd angles from within the wreckage like crooked gravestones. Blood stains coated the ground and walls, while bones and bits of gore littered the roads. Erwin watched in disgust as two dogs fought viciously over a human femur in the middle of the main street.

Pulling a black bandanna over his face to combat the smell and avoid breathing in the diseased air, Erwin dismounted and made his way towards one of the few remaining buildings. It looked like it might have originally been the town hall. It was a long wide building with large double doors. Followed by Hange, Mike, and Moblit, Erwin opened the doors leading into the hall. The interior of the building was a completely open floor plan, broken up only by large wooden pillars. A stage on the far end topped with a pulpit confirmed Erwin's original suspicions about it being Ravina's city hall.

"This will have to do," Erwin said to his officers and they all nodded in agreement, "Moblit, please inform the wagons that this is where we will unload the gear."

Saluting, the squad vice captain disappeared quickly back out the doors they'd entered.

Hange pushed her glasses up on her nose with one finger as she examined the room, "Not exactly ideal, but I guess you're right, Erwin. We don't have a lot of options currently. Once we have everything unloaded, do you want to press further on or head back?"

The grim set line of Erwin's mouth told her the answer before he even responded. "I intend to press ahead. We must get these depots set up or all future expeditions will be severely hindered. I have a feeling that the Interior will one day order us to retake Shiganshina. When that day comes, I can at least make certain our troops are well supplied."

"Retake Shiganshina? You really think-" Next to her, Mike cut her off suddenly by grabbing her hand as she lifted it to gesture towards Erwin.

Seeing the expression on the squad leader's face, neither Erwin nor Hange said anything as Mike lifted his nose to the air, sniffing intently, a worried look twisting his face.

"Titans?" Hange asked quietly, looking out the door.

However, no sooner had she said it than Mike launched himself forward, pulling her and Erwin with him both as he screamed, "GET DOWN!"

A loud bang rang through the building and Hange watched in horror as a spurt of red shot out of Mike's shoulder, spraying them all with a mist of blood. Mike landed roughly on top of her, knocking all the breath from her body. To her left, Erwin rolled out of the way, launching back up almost immediately before rushing towards the stage on the far side of the building. Hange watched as a man she'd never seen before dressed in a scout uniform stood up from behind the pulpit, drawing a pistol as he did.

"Erwin! Look out!" Screeched the section commander, fumbling to lift Mike off of her.

At the same moment as the assassin on the stage squeezed his trigger, Erwin drew one of his replaceable blades and flung it at the stage. A shot rang out, bullet slicing through the side of Erwin's throat but only barely. The commander clenched his teeth as he watched his blade fly, careening wildly through the air until it sliced into the would be killer's arm, gouging it so deeply that the bone could be seen. While the man screamed in agony, Erwin advanced, drawing his swords he launched himself at the platform. The assassin quickly recovered however and managed to dodge to the left, drawing yet another pistol as he did. He went to shoot Erwin in the gut, but the commander roughly knocked the gun away as it went off, shooting him instead in the upper thigh. The blonde-haired soldier barely seemed to register the pain as he continued to rush the man. Using his shoulder to push the fake scout into the pulpit, they both crashed backwards into it, toppling over the edge of the stage in a mess of limbs and steel. The assassin managed to recover first and pin Erwin to the ground, pulling a long knife from his jacket, the man struggled against one of Erwin's blades as he forcefully jabbed a knee into the arm holding the other blade. Erwin cried out in pain as he felt the bones in his arm begin to fracture.

Across the room, Mike and Hange finally managed to make it back onto their feet. Shooting an anchor into the stage, Hange clicked a button on her gear and launched forward across the room like a bullet, boots skittering over the floorboards as she aimed directly for the hired killer. The man's eyes lifted briefly in shock before she reached him. With a sickening thud, she kicked into his side with full force, sending him flying across the room like as though he'd been tossed by a titan. The man's body landed with a crunch nearly 15 feet away, and Hange was on him in a second, blade poised dangerously close to his jugular as he coughed and sputtered up blood.

"Hange, don't!" Erwin called out to her as Mike helped him up off the ground.

"Commander Erwin! What's going on?!" Moblit entered the building, shock and worry radiating off his face as he looked at the scene. "Section Commander Hange?" He yelled, moving to sprint towards her.

Whipping her eyes over to her assistant, Hange yelled at him to stop. "This man's an assassin! Get some rope, Moblit! Quickly!"

Turning her gaze back to the killer underneath her sword, Hange's expression turned into one of crazed enthusiasm. The man shuddered at the look as he gulped nervously, intensely aware of the drop of blood running down the side of his throat.

"Well, hello there!" Hange gushed at him as Erwin and Mike limped over to her and the squirming man. Erwin had a wadded up piece of cloth pressed to the gushing wound in his neck. Hange growled when she saw the state of her two wounded friends and snapped her attention back to her captive. "You know it's rude to shoot at someone without at least introducing yourself first? That's okay though, because now we have plenty of time for discussion. You and I are gonna have a great talk!" She practically squealed into the terrified man's face.

Percy Whitaker's eyes glanced fearfully between the three incensed officers, inwardly aware that he was now in deep shit. "You may as well just kill me now," he cried pathetically, "You scouts can't win-"

*SMACK*

Percy's ears rang painfully as he struggled to keep his vision level, the blow to his head causing his head to loll to the side. Grabbing his face with her free hand, Hange turned it so he was looking back at her. "Don't go getting ahead of yourself, new friend. There's no reason anyone has to die so long as you play nice and do exactly as I ask." She said, grinning maniacally at him as Percy's eyes struggled to focus.

Moments later, Moblit reappeared along with another number of scouts. Hange stood up and let them proceed to flip the man over and begin tying his hands.

"Commander Erwin, we have titans incoming!" Cried one of the soldiers, gesturing wildly towards the street.

Erwin cursed under his breath, eyes glancing over towards Percy on the ground before coming to a quick decision, "Abandon unloading the wagons, everyone mount up and prepare to return to Trost!"

Scurrying out of town hall, a few soldiers dragged the reluctant Percy into one of the wagons while Moblit and Mike helped Erwin limp behind him.

"You okay, Mike?" Erwin asked, looking down main street where he could see a group of three small titans rushing towards Ravina.

The squad leader sniffed, "I'll live. At least I don't look like you."

Erwin let out a wry laugh as they lifted him into the wagon next to Percy and another cadet named Henning. The soldier had picked up one of the assassin's pistols and was holding it trained against the heavily injured man.

"Don't even think about pulling anything," the brunette cadet warned Percy, grim determination in his blue eyes.

"Hurry your asses! Five meter deviant incoming!"

They all turned to look as said titan advanced up the roadway, weaving wildly with a stupid expression on its repulsive face, but definitely picking up its speed as it careened towards the scouts.

"Everyone, move out! All haste back to Trost!" Shouted Erwin as another titan far larger than the first came crashing into the street from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Fuck! Another abnormal!" Someone shouted as the titan barreled through the city hall they'd just occupied, dropping to all fours as it fixated on the wagons.

"Engage, commander?" Yelled Hange above the sound of galloping horses and houses splintering like twigs underfoot as the titans pursued them, haphazardly running through whatever building happened to be in their way.

"NO! Do not engage unless absolutely necessary! We can outrun them!" Shouted Erwin, gritting his teeth in pain as the wagon jumped crazily over a dip in the road shaking his injured body.

Next to him, Percy Whitaker's eyes bulged crazily as he stared at the incoming titans. He'd never seen the monsters this close up before and he looked like he might actually shit his pants. Seeing the expression on the man's face, Hange suddenly had a delightful thought and a huge smile erupted on her face as she rode up to the side of the uncovered wagon. The surrounding soldiers all nearly screamed with shock when she swung a leg over her horse's side and proceeded to jump into the wagon while her horse was still running at full speed.

"Hange! Are you fucking crazy?!" Screamed Lauda as she landed in a disheveled heap on the wagon.

She was only down for a second though, reappearing in front of Percy before grabbing a handful of his shirt. Lifting the man, she dragged the struggling killer to the edge of the cart before dropping him so that his head dangled off the back.

"You psychotic bitch!" Percy screamed at her, "The fuck do you think you're doing!"

"I know you mentioned that you weren't in the mood to talk with us earlier, so I figured just maybe you'd be more interested in talking with one of our titan pals?!" The brunette's glasses flashed in the sun as she grinned down at her prey, "You're not exactly useful to me if you don't like talking, so I figure why not save myself the hassle of all that clean up and just feed you to my pets instead?!"

Hange cackled in his face while the horrified soldiers around her could only look on in utter amazement. Erwin made a note to himself to never get on Hange's bad side.

"You're completely fucking insane!" Percy wailed, "You'll get us both killed, you maniac! I'm not telling you shit, you-!" He let out a squeal of terror as she drug him further towards the edge of the cart till they were both leaning out of it dangerously.

"Section commander!"

"Hange, what the fuck are you doing! You'll fall too, you idiot!"

Hange ignored the distressed cries of her comrades, her white teeth gleaming in joy as Percy struggled uselessly in her grasp as helpless as a fish clutched in the talons of an osprey.

"You think I'm afraid to die?" She inquired, leering down at him with frenzied determination, "All us scouts ever do is die, right?! But make no mistake, pal, if I go then you go with me! You and I can distract those titans with a feast of blood and bones while my comrades continue to escape! Sounds fun, right?! OR you can tell me everything you know right here and now, and I won't sling your filthy fucking hide off this wagon so that the titans can pulp your brains and bowels between those boulder-sized teeth of theirs! Whatcha say? Wanna be friends?!" Hange screeched into his face, dragging him up by his collar.

"YES! Fuck! Okay! Please, just don't let those monsters eat me!" Percy cried, tears rolling down his face in streams, terror causing him to wail like an infant.

With a satisfied grunt, Hange lifted Percy and tossed him roughly back into his seat like as though he weighed nothing and took a seat across from him, a goofy smile on her face as she gazed at the sniveling man expectantly.

"Fantastic! I'm Section Commander Hange Zoe! What's your name?"

Still shaking like a leaf, Percy managed to stutter out his name, snot and tears dribbling down his chin.

"Nice to meet you, Percy Whitaker! You and I are gonna get along just fine!"

The murderer examined the fearless and insane eyes of the woman in front of him and briefly wondered for a second if being eaten by titans might have been the better option...

++Oh, Hange, how I love you, you crazy bish. Anyway, gimme feedback, people! Tell me everything! :)

-Saber


	14. A Promise

Chapter Fourteen—A Promise

For the first time in what had to be at least ten years, Coral woke herself up by falling out of bed. When she'd first emerged from the Underground, it had taken her quite a while to get used to actually sleeping in an honest to god bed and not the ground. There had been a few times when she'd rolled out of her covers during the night and her Uncle had entered the room to find his niece sleeping on the floor, tangled up in a cocoon of sheets.

It was this same scene that Levi encountered when he rushed upstairs and threw Coral's door open, an expression of concern on his face after hearing the loud thump her falling had caused.

"Coral, what-?" He began to yell as he entered her room, suddenly catching sight of her on the floor, bed head sticking out of her covers as she looked up at him in surprise.

His shoulders released in relief and a smirk began to form at the corner of his mouth, watching in amusement as she continued to fight with her blankets.

"Dammit, man! Help me!" Coral cried from her fabric prison, glaring at him underneath her mop of unruly and matted hair.

Levi only folded his arms across his chest as he continued to ignore her cries for help, "Pathetic." He said simply, reveling in the irate expression on her face. "And here I was thinking you were being attacked by an assassin. Turns out, you can barely deal with your own bed sheets."

"You know, the fall down here did kind of hurt my goddamn side!" Coral whined at him, and his expression faltered a little.

Walking over to her, Levi quickly reached underneath her body and lifted her before placing her gently back on the bed. Within seconds, he had her unwrapped from her blankets, and she sat up slowly on the bed while he supported her back.

"Thanks. Now get the fuck out of my room, asshole." Coral groused at him, still mildly irritated at him for the way he'd spoken to her the day before.

"Tch." Levi sniffed, walking stiffly out of her bedroom before closing her door.

Standing up, Coral proceeded to take off her clothes from the day before that she'd fallen asleep in. Putting on a pair of thin pants and a loose, linen peasant blouse, Coral then bound her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. Plopping onto a chest at the foot of her bed, she slipped on her most comfortable boots before standing up to head down stairs. She paused when she caught sight of herself in the mirror on the far wall.

Coral stepped forward, a sudden wave of depression assaulting her as she took in her haggard appearance. All that time in the infirmary had clearly taken a toll on her. She looked thin and ragged. Her face was gaunt and paler than usual. Her cheekbones were jutting out more than was natural and her normally vibrant green eyes looked tired and hollow.

Mike must be out of his mind. Who in god's name would actually be attracted to me right now? I look like a fucking corpse.

Sighing sadly at the realization, Coral turned away from the mirror and went to head down stairs. It was still dark out, so she had to assume that she'd slept through the night till it was very early morning. Judging by the state of her hair and the sleep lines all over her body, she'd definitely been out for at least a few hours.

Yawning widely, Coral reached the bottom floor and went to turn into the kitchen before catching sight of Levi in the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks, mind blanking almost completely as she stared at him.

Levi had apparently removed his gray v-neck from the day before in favor of a sleeveless black undershirt. He was still wearing his white uniform pants, military issue boots, and the leather straps for his gear, but the straps still couldn't prevent his shirt from falling open to reveal his clenched ab muscles as he did one-handed hand stands in the living room.

Coral gaped at him, watching intently as the deltoid muscles in his arm strained to lift his body up and down evenly, legs skillfully curved into the air behind him to balance himself. Her eyes hungrily followed a small trail of black hair that ran from his navel down his flat stomach until disappearing underneath his pants, and she had the sudden urge to run her hand along that path until she reached his concealed package.

The embarrassing thought made a warmth grow inside of her, and she suddenly realized she'd never felt like this about a man before. She'd never before had the urge to dig her hands into a guy's pants and grab onto his manhood. Frankly, she wasn't even sure what a man's dick really looked like, but the outline of Levi's member underneath his pants was making her imagination run wild.

She drank in every part of his image in that moment, from his muscular arm bent behind his back to his black hair hanging in a curtain, swishing back suddenly as he turned his gaze to look at her rigid posture by the stairs. She almost jumped when he caught her looking at him, his steely gray eyes appraising her in an instant.

"What are you staring at, brat?" Levi asked tersely, dropping his legs in one swift motion before righting himself with all the grace and agility of a seasoned gymnast.

Coral struggled to breath as she watched a bead of sweat roll down his forehead before reaching his jawline. She couldn't rip her eyes away from it. She couldn't move at all. Levi started towards her, and horror started to build within her as he got closer and closer to her quivering frame.

Standing roughly a foot away, he made a point to look down into her eyes as Coral fought to look away.

"You didn't answer me, woman," he continued quietly, one hand lifting her chin, forcing her to look back to him.

"It's nothing. Really." Coral finally managed to gasp out, trying not to think about the delicate touch of his hand on her chin.

"Why are you lying to me?" Levi asked flatly, furrowed brow clearly indicating that he wasn't about to argue over whether he was right or not.

Mouth suddenly overwhelmingly dry, Coral stepped away from him, causing his hand to fall as he watched her with worry etching his features.

"I'm just hungry. I'll feel better once I get something to eat," Coral assured him, more to herself than him.

Coral knew damn well that these feelings for Levi were only getting worse, but she had absolutely no clue what to do with them or if there was even a way to make them go away. She'd never been in this situation before. She'd never felt like this about anyone. Sure, she'd had little crushes before throughout her life, but this was something different. Ever since Mike had pointed out Levi's attraction to her, she hadn't been able to stop the rush of emotions that that revelation had brought.

The idea had been confusing and shocking, but most of all it had been exciting. It had bothered her immensely just how elating the thought of Levi wanting her physically had been. Suddenly, numerous images of what it would be like to be taken by him had started flooding into her brain. How would he go about it? Would he be tender and gently kiss her lips, or would he be as rough as she thought he might? Roughly pulling her to himself and-

Ack! Stop! Stop! Stop!

Levi had been intently watching her the whole time she battled her own mind, noting how hot her face was getting as she avoided eye contact with him. Curiosity was welling up inside of him, and he realized that he'd seen this look on her face before. It had been that time he'd emerged from the girl's showers and she'd seen him half naked. She looked just as flustered as she did then, and he mentally decided that he liked it. He liked just how hot and bothered she got at the sight of his bare skin and the feeling of his touch. He wanted to keep flustering her.

Turning off his previous self doubt, Levi closed the distance between them and brought his hand to her face again, this time cradling her cheek with his palm. Her expression of shock quickly melted into pleasure as his thumb began to gently stroke along her cheekbone. A blissful little gasp escaped her lips as he touched her, so he decided to continue. He brought his other hand up to her face and mirrored the first one, eyes intently regarding the woman in his grasp. Coral's eyes flew open when she realized just how close he was to her face. Her green eyes widened considerably as he drew nearer to her, mere inches from her lips. Her breath suspended completely as she realized what was about to happen.

Levi's lips were nearly on hers when a loud crash sounded outside.

Spinning in place, Levi dropped his hands from her face and pulled her behind his back, dark eyes quickly scanning the front porch.

"What the fuck was that?" Coral mused out loud, irritation lacing her words as she considered the inconvenient timing of the noise.

"Stay here," Levi ordered, briskly walking to the front door and throwing it open before heading to where he'd heard the noise.

Ignoring Levi's instructions, Coral followed after him, emerging onto the porch to see him approaching a very bedraggled looking Hange on a sweat-drenched horse.

"Sorry, guys," Hange said, wearily dismounting her horse, "Clover accidentally tripped over a rake in the yard and hit that crate by the tree. He's kinda tired," She explained, gently patting the sweaty hide of her exhausted horse.

"I didn't have time to stop though. I had to make sure you guys were safe first." Hange sighed, leaning heavily against Levi as he walked up to her.

"Tch. Get off me, woman. You're filthy." He complained, pushing her away.

Grinning tiredly, Hange fell against her horse instead.

"What the hell are you doing back so soon, Hang? Is everything okay?" Coral asked in concern, making her way towards the clearly fatigued woman.

"Yeah, everything's okay. Well, I mean, Erwin and Mike have seen better days, but they'll be alright! They're being treated right now and they'll both recover!" Hange rushed out the last part when she saw the expressions on both Coral and Levi's faces morph into fear, "They're just a little banged up. Erwin especially. We uh...we kinda got attacked by one of Tamer's men while we were outside."

"What?!" Coral gasped.

Even Levi looked surprised.

"Fucking fools." He muttered. "What kind of idiot would choose an expedition for an assassination attempt?"

"Uh….you would?" Hange smirked, pleased by the sudden rush of embarrassment that clouded Levi's face when he realized she was right.

Ignoring Levi's blunder, Coral continued to press Hange, "So, what happened? Tell us everything!"

"Later," said Hange flatly, cheery demeanor dropping away as she gazed at them sternly, "First, let's get you two back to HQ. I'll explain on the way."

Without hesitation, the three of them headed back into the house to gather their things. With Hange's help they quickly had the horses packed up and ready to go.

Taking Levi's hand, Coral mounted Fara swiftly, barely even noticing the pain in her side anymore. He followed suit, trotting up beside Hange with an inquisitive look on his features.

"Alright, shitty glasses. Spill it." Levi demanded as they all made their way down the road at a quick pace.

Sighing dramatically, Hange began her recount of the events outside the walls. She explained how the mission to set up a supply depot failed when Percy tried to kill them and how Erwin had had to fight him almost single-handedly until Hange stepped in. Once she reached the point where Percy Whitaker started talking on the wagon, she stopped her horse suddenly in the road and Levi and Coral stopped too, confusion on both their faces.

"This is where the situation gets even trickier, you guys," Hange whispered solemnly, "I don't know how reliable Percy's information really is, but we don't have much of a choice but to trust him. He's our only advantage at the moment. According to Percy, he's one of Tamer's best men. He assured me that even though we've disarmed Tamer momentarily by foiling the assassination attempt outside, this battle has only begun. The man apparently has more connections than even Erwin realized. He has a constant stream of information available to him. I wouldn't be surprised if someone is currently on their way to inform him of Whitaker's failure. If I'm right, the retaliation will no doubt be swift, and he's not likely to underestimate us again by sending one man. This time, he'll throw everything he has at us. Tamer is even willing to kill Erwin in his attempt to erase this story from existence. That's not even the worst part though..." Hange paused again, grave eyes settling on Coral before she continued, "According to Whitaker, Tamer doesn't actually want you dead, Coral. Tamer told Percy that he wanted you brought back to him alive. He doesn't know what the man plans on doing with you, but clearly it's nothing good…"

Next to her, Levi shifted uncomfortably on Hellion, an angry sneer on his face. "I can make an educated guess. Disgusting pig," he said quietly to himself, "Did this shitty assassin give you a time frame?"

Hange shook her head sadly, "Unfortunately, all he seemed to know was that things were in motion. We have to assume that we're already being watched."

Both Coral and Levi had matching expressions of anger mixed with vexation.

"What a shit situation this is," complained Levi, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.

Coral nodded in agreement, wheels turning quickly in her head as she considered their unenviable position. "We have to take this fight to him. It's the only way. We can't allow Tamer to continue to delegate his movements from his lofty position in the Interior without any real fear of reprisal. His actions suggest that he thinks he's untouchable. We're going to have to make it clear to him that he is not."

Eyeing her friend with curiosity, Hange lifted an eyebrow at Coral's words, "Kinda sounds like you have a plan, Snakey?"

Placing Fara's reins across the pommel of her saddle, Coral considered her next words carefully. "Maybe? Or at least the semblance of a plan? All we really know is that Tamer is ahead of us already and he plans on taking me alive. Based on that knowledge, we exploit his plan. When he does finally come for me…we let him."

Anger flashed across Levi's face in an instant at her words, grip tightening on the reins in his hands till his knuckles were white. "Are you fucking stupid, Coral? You want to die just like your old man? Reckless and dumb?!" He practically spit the last words, and Coral recoiled a little at the pure vitriol seeping out of the captain.

Defensiveness flaring within her, she glared at Levi in return, "I know it's reckless! But what fucking choice do we really have? If we're lucky, Tamer will underestimate me just like he did my parents. If I'm right, it'll put me within striking distance of our ultimate enemy. We can bypass all his cronies and henchman and go for the head!"

"You're operating on the assumption that the assassin is actually telling the truth! What if it's all just a ploy to get you right where he wants you?" Levi seethed at her.

Hange interjected, "Well, to be honest, I don't think Percy is lying. You should have seen how pants shitting afraid he was when I threatened to toss him off the wagon."

"Yeah, well, maybe he just played the idiot to placate you and fed you a predetermined story, idiot," Levi shot back at Hange, switching his anger to her. "If you want legitimate information, I can dig it out of his hide. Just leave me alone with him for an hour."

Coral trembled slightly at the look on Levi's face as he said the last part. It bothered her mildly just how easily he made that statement, unflinching determination causing his lips to press together tightly.

Hange frowned at the idea, "I hate to say it, but that might end up being necessary."

Glancing between the two with barely concealed surprise, Coral wondered just when her friends had suddenly become so cold that they were completely okay with the idea of torturing a man for information. "OR just maybe it's completely unnecessary and we should stick with my plan? It sounds to me like Tamer isn't just doing this to cover up his sins. It sounds like he wants revenge too. My mom took his eye when she fought back, and I'm the product of the relationship that he was clearly jealous over. If he'd wanted me dead, I think Tamer would have done it already. Instead of pursuing Levi and I, he instead focused on trying to eradicate you guys outside the walls. I doubt Erwin's false trails were so effective that he simply couldn't find us out in that house this whole time."

They all sat there on their horses quietly for a moment, each silently contemplating her words until Coral broke the silence once more, picking up Fara's reins as she turned back towards the road. "Regardless, we need to get you back, Hange. You're exhausted and your horse looks like he's ready to drop. Plus, I want to see Mike and Erwin. Let's get going."

Levi and Hange nodded in agreement, each spurring on their horses as they followed the resolute young woman who had a new expression on her face. Coral looked determined and certain of herself. It made Levi anxious.

Dumb brat is gonna get herself killed if she keeps up with this attitude.

He was well aware that she had a point about taking the fight to Tamer, but he simply couldn't content himself with the idea of her allowing herself to be kidnapped. Just the thought made his hackles rise and his blood boil. Clearly, that pig from the Interior was planning on hurting her personally. How exactly he wasn't sure, but judging from past actions, Levi was forced to surmise that the man likely wanted Coral for himself just like he'd wanted her mother.

Over my dead fucking body, Levi thought to himself, his free hand forming into a fist as he considered the idea.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hange inspecting him curiously. Levi knew full well just how badly he was hiding his emotions at the moment. Normally, he was far more reserved than this, but Coral's idea had caused a dam to burst within him. He was terrified of putting her in danger yet again. He'd be damned if he had to watch her struggle for life in his arms again. He simply couldn't bear the thought.

Harold Tamer was a threat to not only Coral but all of his closest companions too. If anyone was going to risk their life to kill that sack of shit, it was going to be him.

Perhaps that was really his best option at this point? If Coral still insisted on allowing herself to get kidnapped, he'd use his own skills and go track down the rat bastard first on his own. What were a bunch of pompous military police and a doughy fuck from the king's inner circle to him anyway? They didn't call him Humanity's Strongest Soldier for no reason. He'd cut his way through that whole fucking estate if he had to. He might get thrown in jail afterwards for the rest of his life, but if that's what it took to keep his friends and Coral safe then he'd gladly throw his own future away.

Levi was forced to abandon his train of thought as they suddenly reached the gate leading into Trost. The same officers from the last time were there, blocking the way into the city.

Glaring at the men, Levi felt something suspicious building within his gut. Instinct immediately told him that something was wrong. Next to him, Coral had the same look on her face. She pulled back slightly on Fara's reins, eyeing the garrison soldiers nervously before looking over to him.

They all came to a stop about ten feet away from the soldiers, anxiety creeping up onto the group as they collectively realized that something was up.

"I suggest you get out of our way," Levi said just loud enough that the men could hear his barely concealed threat.

"And I suggest you three get off your horses and put your hands in the air," replied one of the men, slowly raising his rifle to aim at Levi's head.

Suddenly, men started appearing from the treeline bordering the road until they were surrounded by soldiers, each holding a rifle trained on the group of scouts.

"Fuck," cursed Levi, eyes darting to the formation that encircled them like a group of ravenous wolves. Inwardly, he berated himself for not being more vigilant. He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't even noticed the awaiting ambush.

"You see now, Captain?" asked the same soldier, tilting his head to the side with a satisfied grin on his face, "There's no getting out of this one. You three are coming with us. Now get off your horses and get those hands in the air like I told you."

Reluctantly acquiescing, the three scouts dismounted their horses and raised their hands as three of the men from the surrounding group patted them down for weapons.

"What in the-? My God!" One of the soldiers exclaimed as he found yet 3 more knives on Coral, "These people are like fuckin' armories. I wouldn't be surprised if this girl's hiding weapons inside herself too."

"If you try to find out then I hope you're prepared to lose your front teeth, you traitorous pile of dog vomit," Coral growled at the man as he reached between her legs.

Recoiling slightly, the man stood up and nodded to their leader. "That's everything, sir."

Watching the group with bored eyes, the leader gestured to the rest of his men. "Fine. Get them bound and into that carriage. The boss doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Wait!" Coral yelled as the man turned towards a carriage that was rolling in behind him through the gate, "I know it's me you're really after. These two have nothing to do with any of this! They know nothing about your boss or my past! Let them go!"

Levi hissed at her, "Shut the hell up, you idiot!"

The group leader chuckled lightly at Coral's words, shaking his head, "Nice try, bitch, but we know full well that these two specifically were at Preston's house when you found him. We have orders to take you all alive though, so don't worry—I'm sure our boss has fun plans for each of you. Percy may have failed his mission, but I fully intend on fulfilling mine." He smirked at the last statement before turning to speak with the carriage driver.

Coral, Levi, and Hange had their hands clapped in irons behind their backs and their eyes bound with cloth before being roughly shoved into the carriage one by one. Sitting in the dark, Coral could hear Levi's angry breathing.

"What the fuck was that, Coral? Do you really think you can just do this all on your own?!"

"Of fucking course not, Levi, but now we know Tamer plans on keeping all of us alive and not just me!" Coral whispered through gritted teeth, "I had to know if they were planning on killing you two. Now we know he has some kind of plan for each of us, or he's going to use you two as some kind of leverage. Maybe even bait. I'm not sure yet… Plus, he revealed that they already know about Percy's failure outside the walls, which means they also know Erwin and Mike are injured and vulnerable. If we'd run away, the commander and my uncle would have likely been their next targets. As long as they have me though, they're safe...at least for now..."

"Good thinking, Snakey," Hange quipped as Coral's words trailed off. The woman didn't sound worried about their predicament in the least and her steadfast courage brought a small smile to Coral's face.

Levi quieted as he considered Coral's words. Sometimes he forgot just how clever she really was. She'd tricked that man into revealing more information than he should have. Little good it did them now though. Coral was right about needing to get to Tamer. Only through his death could they possibly hope to end this battle. His men would have no motivation to keep this cat and mouse game up if he was out of the picture. Tamer's own personal vendettas were unlikely to have any lasting effect on a bunch of men who were clearly money motivated.

Sighing, Levi shifted on the bench next to Hange, "So I'm guessing you're intent on going through with your plan then? Seems we've don't have much choice now."

Frowning somberly, Coral clenched her bound hands into fists, "Yup. Sooner or later, Tamer will be vulnerable, and once he is...I'll kill that fucking murderer with my own two hands." She swore in the dark, forging a promise somewhere deep in the recesses of her heart.

Mom. Dad. Grandfather. Mike. Erwin. Hange. Levi. I'll do this for all of you. That man is threatening all I hold dear. I'm going to enjoy killing him, and I hope then just maybe I'll get some justice for all my years of suffering. He took my whole world from me, so I'm going to crush Harold Tamer and everything he owns.

I'll raze his entire existence to the ground till it's nothing but ashes and no one can even remember his name.

He's going to regret the day he first laid eyes on my mother.

Even if it's the last thing I do…

Sorry this one took a while, folks. Thanks to all who reviewed and continue to read. Ya'll are my true loves! All of you!

Anyway, lots of fun action incoming and maybe even some more sexual frustration! BWAHAHAHHAHAHA!

-Saber


	15. What He Wants and What He Gets

Chapter Fifteen—What He Wants and What He Gets

It was late evening when Harold Tamer heard the tentative knock of one of his servants on the door of his study. The rotund man let out a terse grunt acknowledging his servant, and a meek house maid named Nadia entered the room, head bent low in subservience.

"Excuse my intrusion, master, but you have several...guests waiting for you."

The girl appeared to struggle with with the word "guests", a kind of reluctant worry coating the word as she dug for an appropriate description for the three manacled strangers who had just been roughly shoved into the foyer of Tamer's mansion.

Two of them looked familiar to the young girl, yet she couldn't recall from where. What had worried her the most about the strangers was that she had spotted leather straps for the infamous 3D maneuvering gear covering the legs of two of the prisoners underneath their long dark cloaks. This meant that at least two of the new additions to the house were in fact soldiers, but not just that—they were likely scouts since it was rare to see a harness on the body of a garrison soldier or MP.

This revelation had startled Nadia.

She had long since known of her master's dark character having been victim to it herself, but it was rare indeed for him to bring his "work" home with him like this. Though she figured it must have to do with the fact that the master's family was currently on vacation touring the Giant Tree Forest outside Karanese. Without his wife and children around, Tamer was free to treat the estate however he wished. Of course even if they had been here, there was never anyone who was capable of standing up to the brutish scoundrel anyway. What could any of them possibly do against such a man as him?

Nadia mused sadly over this thought as her master rose to his feet, a sudden and rather disturbing smirk twisting his pock-marked face till it caused the patch over his left eye to bend inwards.

"Thank you, little Nadia. You are dismissed. Please inform the others that I will no longer be needing their services tonight. Remain in the servant's quarters till morning unless otherwise instructed. I have business to conduct throughout the night..." Stated the military official, dull blue eyes twinkling with a dangerous light as he rounded his desk to stand before her.

Bowing low while being careful not to touch the man who was the absolute epitome of her worst nightmare, the girl scuttled out of the room quickly, eager to be far from her master and his new "business."

Striding confidently out of his study, it took but a moment for Harold Tamer to come to a stop in front of the three soldiers waiting for him. All three of them were still bound with chains and blindfolds, wearing long black cloaks that covered most of their forms.

He immediately noticed only two of them were wearing gear of any kind. The tallest woman with the brunette hair swept back in a ponytail and strapped on spectacles still had her scout uniform on while the short black-haired man was only in the military-issue pants and boots he recognized. The last and shortest of them all was the girl he was the most interested in however. She was almost laughably small, wearing only loose riding breeches, boots, and a loose white peasant blouse underneath her cloak.

Grinning almost maniacally, Tamer immediately bid the company of men holding his captives hostage to remove the blindfolds over the soldiers' eyes. He had to purposely hold in a slight gasp as he beheld the auburn-haired beauty in front of him. It was almost like he'd gone back in time. The girl really was just like her mother, slight, pale, and undeniably gorgeous in her own rather brooding fashion. Her mossy green eyes glared at him contemptuously through strands of red hair in a manner that no doubt would intimidate most men, but Harold Tamer was not most men. Still...there was something lurking in the back of those large orbs of hers that caused a small tremor of fear mixed with irritation to ripple through him. Though the girl was clearly her mother's daughter, she was also undeniably a Preston, and that made him unreasonably angry.

Momentarily blinking at the sudden reintroduction of light to her now darkness accustomed eyes, it didn't take Coral long to focus in on the face of the man who—through previous description and pure gut instinct—was clearly her family's murderer.

Coral's breathing shuddered in her chest as she struggled to maintain composure, feeling almost immediately consumed with a hatred so fierce it threatened to drown her in its intensity. Tamer's overly confident and self-possessed grin caused a sudden rush of righteous malevolence mixed with pure revulsion to bubble to the surface of her psyche like a shift of tectonic plates releasing a particularly volatile pocket of volcanic magma breaching the surface of the earth.

Harold Tamer appeared utterly undaunted by the fiery hatred burning in Coral's viridian eyes however, and continued to smile through the seething waves of animus that radiated off of the young soldier like heat from a bonfire.

"By God," he breathed out, obvious approval lacing his words as he appraised the girl in front of him, "Finally, live and in person...Cora Zacharius the Undying...or should I say Cora Preston now? The rumors do you no justice, my dear. I had heard you were nearly the spitting image of your late mother, Margaret, but I dare say you are even more beautiful than-"

"Keep my mother's name out of your vile fucking mouth!" Coral spit at him. Teeth bared, she lunged forward against the restraint of the men behind her, stopping just short of Tamer's throat as her jaw snapped closed.

Tamer's men rushed to pull her back, her sudden rush of strength and fury surprising them in its raw ferocity. They clearly hadn't expected such recklessness or unadulterated strength from a girl of her size.

Chuckling in delight, Tamer leaned back slightly before raising one pudgy hand to Coral's face, tracing her jawline as she flinched away from his touch.

"You might be even more passionate than your mother as well. What a fantastic prize you are..." the old man crooned, sneering at the way Coral struggled to get away from his touch.

"Get your putrid claws off of her..." a low voice warned from somewhere to his right.

Eyebrows lifted in mock hurt, Tamer turned to address the man who had interrupted him. He gave the captain a bored once over before returning to meet the glowering visage of the soldier with the hair as dark as obsidian and equally shadowy eyes.

"Hmmm...you must be Captain Levi Ackerman," drawled Tamer as he turned his body to assess the fuming soldier, "I must say, you're not at all what I was expecting. Humanity's Strongest Soldier is apparently naught more than some conceited little half-pint with a death wish? I've never expected much from the Survey Corps, but this only reaffirms my belief that their abilities are grossly overrated if you are actually the best they have to offer. What a severe disappointment."

He regarded the captain with the clenched teeth for a moment longer, apparently contemplating a decision in his head. Tamer didn't need two pieces of blackmail on hand at this point. The scientist woman, Hange Zoe, would likely be enough to keep Cora in line, and this soldier—short though he may be—was causing three of his burliest henchman to struggle so hard they were visibly sweating. Not to mention, the man had a murderous glint in his eyes that unnerved Tamer somehow. Levi was clearly dangerous, and it was risky to keep him around.

"Dispose of him," ordered Tamer, looking to the men still desperately seizing onto Levi. Without hesitation and a noticeable amount of relief, one of the paid-for MP soldiers drew out a long knife and went to cut Levi's throat.

"NOOOOO!"

It happened in an instant.

Feral roar ripping from her throat, Coral broke free from her captors as they briefly turned their attention to the murder they were about to witness. Exploiting the brief moment of inattention, the enraged woman lunged sideways and headbutted the man holding the knife to Levi's throat, knocking him to the ground as his nose gushed a fountain of blood.

Losing their grasp of Levi, the men holding him back blinked in shock as Coral barreled through the group once more using her shoulder as a battering ram, knocking all of them left and right, limbs flailing in the air as they were all caught completely unaware by her reckless onslaught and the downright surprising amount of strength the small woman commanded.

"Oh, my..."

It was all Tamer could manage to say as he observed Coral's violently heaving frame. She was hunched protectively over Levi's prostrate form on the floor, arms still chained behind her back as she panted, green eyes wild with manic watchfulness as she glared through her red mane of hair at the sputtering henchman who'd previously tried to slit Levi's throat. The man's hands were desperately clutching his face, the flow of blood from his nose second only to the flow of curse words he was stringing together.

An extremely bewildered Levi blinked up at Coral. Her eyes were still trained on his would-be murderer, the loose bun of hair at the nape of her neck now slowly slipping to the side of her nape, dropping pieces of loose hair onto his face as she shielded him with her own body. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to grab her and hold her to himself. Instead, he watched helplessly as she was hauled roughly back to her feet by the other two uninjured men.

The sudden loss of her warming and protective presence against his body was almost painful. A second later, Levi too was pulled back up, strong hands gripping him tightly as Tamer again came to stand in front of him, a knowing look flickering in the recesses of the man's pale eyes.

A smirk began to twitch at the corner of Tamer's thin lips as the epiphany rolled over him, a cruel plan forming in his mind as he inspected Coral's incredibly defensive posture. His eyes flicked briefly between Levi and Coral, taking in the almost desperately pleading look that had overcome the girl's face as she stared at the scout captain. Tamer was surprised by the fact that he hadn't noticed it before, but it was painfully obvious to him now.

Chuckling at his fortuitous revelation, Tamer quietly drew a pistol from his waistband and dug it into Levi's ribs, satisfaction rolling through him at the pained cry that broke from Coral's lips as she yet again tried to leap forward. This time, however, her captors were ready for her and drug her back as she struggled uselessly.

"No! Don't! For fuck's sakes! It's me you want, isn't it?! KILL ME!" Coral screeched, terror coating her every word as Levi grimaced from the pain of the pistol lodging in between his ribs.

Outright laughing at her cries, Tamer turned to face her, pistol still digging into Levi's stomach. "You stupid, silly girl. I should have known! You really are just like your idiot mother. You're in love with this runt, aren't you?"

Eyes widening, Levi's mouth dropped open slightly at the sudden accusation before shooting his eyes towards Coral. Her face went ghostly pale as her bottom lip shuddered almost uncontrollably. Her normal self resolve was crumbling around her like eggshells, limbs shaking in the grasps of the men who held her as she fought to control her expression.

"N-No! Of course not!" She managed to shoot out weakly, but it sounded like a lie even to her own ears."You're out of your fucking mind! He's just my friend. Now, please, let them go! Neither of them have anything to do with this!"

Coral's glossy eyes shot back to Levi and Hange who were both looking at her with blatant expressions of shock. Whereas earlier she had been play acting when she'd pleaded for their lives, it was obvious to both of them now that there was no lie in Coral's eyes. The woman looked utterly broken. It was suddenly and painfully obvious just how dangerous of a situation they were truly in. In her anger, she'd hardly considered just how easy it would be for Tamer to control her as long as he had her friends to threaten her.

Chortling deep in his throat, Tamer reached out and grabbed Coral by the throat, wrenching her out of the hands of his men and pulling her forward till she was held helplessly in the air, toes barely scraping the expensive tiled floor.

"This couldn't have worked out better for me even had I known beforehand," Tamer said, raising the gun from Levi's ribs to the captain's forehead instead, "Listen, Cora. You're going to cooperate with me, OR..." he pushed the gun harder between Levi's eyes as his own eyes gazed deeply into Coral's, danger lurking underneath their surface, "I will kill your little boyfriend here without a second thought. Even better, I'll have my men take him down to the basement and they can carve him up for eternity while you listen to his screams. Granted, there's not much to him, but I'm sure he's still got plenty of sensitive bits on him. I won't kill him though. No...I'll just make him wish he was dead..."

Resisting the urge to gag in his face, Coral turned her eyes away from Tamer and looked at Levi, unbridled terror coursing through her as she considered what men like Tamer and his cronies might do to him.

"Coral..." Levi started to breath out slowly, "Don't li-"

Before he could finish though, one of Tamer's men took one of the blindfolds from before and dug it into Levi's mouth, dragging painfully back against the corners of his mouth and effectively cutting him off from further speech. Levi's eyes however continued to stare wildly at her, wide and fretful as he watched the obvious battle taking place on Coral's face.

To his right, Hange watched the exchange with a worried expression, but surprisingly didn't make a move or speak.

Tamer glanced at the scientist before looking back to Coral, "And if the fate of your precious captain isn't enough to sway you, then perhaps consider what a barracks full of men would be capable of doing to Ms. Zoe here? I'm sure she's a strong-willed one too, so that should make it even more fun for my men, wouldn't you say?"

Verdant eyes snapped from Hange back to Tamer's face as he spoke, a whole new sort of anger seeping from Coral's body as she regarded the powerful man from the Interior. It hadn't lasted long, but Coral had spotted the briefest flash of fear on her friend's face as Tamer had spoken. That momentary crack in Hange's steadfast facade had rocked Coral. She'd never known the woman to be afraid of anything. Hell! She'd watched Hange saunter around titans like they were nothing more than over-sized toddlers, but now...now they were all being threatened with something far worse than being eaten alive by man-eating monsters.

Coral's bound hands itched with the desire to crush Harold Tamer's windpipe. Her teeth threatened to crack under the grinding pressure of her jaws. Rancorous contempt of a kind she'd never before experienced dwarfed even the fear she held for her friends as she stared into his arrogant pallid eyes.

"You scum..." she seethed at him in a raspy voice that struggled for air while her nails dug into the hand wrapped around her throat.

Small rivulets of blood began to drip from where she clawed at him, but Tamer gave no recognition of the pain as his eyes bored into hers, daring her to call his bluff. Coral gasped for air, but the pain was nothing compared to her anger. The only emotion she could truly focus on was that madness that threatened to billow out of her like a backdraft punching out the glass windows of a burning building.

Despite himself, Tamer felt a small tremor of fear run through him at the look in the woman's face. He was very suddenly reminded of a time long ago when a similar slip of a woman had dug her nails into his face when he'd threatened her child. Now that very same child was looking at him with the same unbridled hatred. She really was just like her mother in this regard—a fierce protector who wouldn't stop until he was no more than a neutralized threat. This time however, he wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating his quarry. This time he would make sure she was really and truly helpless to stop him. No one would prevent him from exacting his revenge. This time, he'd take what he wanted and he'd finally punish that arrogant woman who'd shunned his advances and insisted on taking a man who wasn't even worthy of licking the mud off his boots!

"Call me what you will, dear, but you will do what I say, or else I'll destroy both of them past the point of redemption..." His dangerously low tone seemed to have the desired effect on her finally.

Coral's frown faltered till he could see the recognition filtering into her eyes. She knew she was in no position to fight back right now. He had the upper hand now in every way possible. Her recklessness had played right into his hands just like Levi had warned her, and now she was paying the price.

Coral slumped slightly in his grasp, bitterness tinging her words as she replied.

"Fine..." she wheezed out weakly, sorrow lacing her speech as she struggled to keep a hold of her emotions. Tamer lowered her back down so she was standing solidly on her feet, and she continued after she finally caught her breath. "I'll cooperate with you so long as they're safe. However..."

A new emotion entered her voice as she focused her glossy eyes back onto him, "Know this...If I find out you've hurt my friends or family, there is nothing on this earth—not gods, not titans, nor any king living or dead who will be able to stop me from destroying you and everything you own."

Holding back the shudder that threatened to course through him at her threat, Tamer instead forced a sneer of a smile onto his face, "Not to fear, dear Cora. You said it yourself. I don't want them. I want you."

Nadia walked as briskly as possible across the chilly courtyard that breached the area between her master's house and the servant quarters at the back of the estate. The two large rectangular buildings held the male and female servants respectively, while another oblong building to the far right housed the families of the House's most respected attendants. Nadia, an orphan who didn't even have so much as a surname, lived in the women's quarters.

Her long skirt swished against her legs as she made her way towards a side door, inwardly hoping that her dreams for the night would not dwell on the three captives in her master's home. Too often her dreams—or rather her nightmares—were centered around the cries of agony and acts of barbarism that she had either heard, seen, or even personally experienced inside her Master's house. Deep within the basement of his home, she knew all too well just how far Harold Tamer would go in pursuit of pleasure and ambition. His unceasing avarice was well known among his family and underlings, but his position made him nigh untouchable.

For years, Nadia had convinced herself that one day she would be rid of this horrible estate and all the memories it held, but eventually she'd settled on the knowledge that men like Tamer held all the power. Meanwhile, girls like her had no hope of becoming more than a housemaid or a discarded plaything.

Shuddering against the cold, Nadia pulled her thin shawl closer to her shivering frame as she neared the side door leading into her sleeping quarters. A sudden movement near the roof caused her to stop however when a shadow passed over her, highlighted only by the light of the waning moon.

A tremor of fear ran down her spine and she could only let out a squeak when a hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her into the shadows.

Her struggling was futile however. The man who held her was easily twice her size and he held her firmly to his chest as he dragged her behind a corner.

"Calm yourself," the man whispered in her ear, "We mean you no harm. Please do not scream."

Five other cloaked figures stepped into her line of view, and Nadia couldn't help but stare at them wide-eyed in fear. A brief glance informed her that they were soldiers just like the ones in the Master's house. She could see their leather harnesses crisscrossing their white pant legs as they stepped forward almost in unison.

Nadia tried to relax in the large man's grasp, but it was hard to feel safe when she was so thoroughly surrounded. Still, the man apparently felt her lack of resistance and slowly released her from his hold. Stumbling forward slightly, Nadia turned to look back at the man who held her and blinked rapidly at an incredibly tall, handsome blonde man with neatly trimmed facial hair and long parted bangs hanging just above his eyes. She looked around to the others behind her. The soldiers lowered their hoods and she was relieved to see that none of them appeared to be sinister in appearance. One of them, a brunette with hair just slightly shorter than her captor's tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"Who—Who are you people?"

The man who'd grabbed her spoke.

"Forgive me for scaring you, young lady, but it was necessary that we speak secretly. We are members of the Scout Regiment. I'm Squad Leader Mike. The young man behind you is Executive Officer Moblit—he's an assistant to a friend of ours who is currently under the custody of your master. The other four are Team Leaders Lauda, Rashad, Marlene and corporal Henning. We're hoping you can help us. First, forgive my manners. I haven't even asked your name yet."

Nadia felt her apprehension start to dissipate at the man's sincere attempts to reassure her and appear polite. Surely no common thug would bother to assuage her fears like this, and it was quite obvious from their uniforms that they were indeed soldiers. Still, despite looking thoroughly exhausted, these soldiers had a hardness in their eyes that unnerved her somehow. They were clearly veterans of hardship if nothing else.

"N—Nadia...although, I have no idea what you think I could possibly do to help you?"

That was no lie. They were clearly more than capable of handling themselves. What they might want her assistance for was an utter mystery.

Mike had a slight frown on his face as he answered, "As a servant in this house, you no doubt know the layout fairly well?"

Nadia nodded, albeit reluctantly. She wasn't sure she liked where this was heading.

Mike continued. "Your master, the man Harold Tamer, has kidnapped three of our comrades, which I'm sure you're well aware of. He means to hurt them or even kill them. One of those soldiers is my niece. I'm sure you can understand why I cannot allow your master to continue with his plans?"

Memories of her master speaking about his "plans for the night" caused Nadia to experience an involuntary shudder. She knew that whatever her Master had in mind was nothing good. Those three soldiers were in certain danger.

"I...I understand, sir. Still...if I help you, there's a very good chance my master will have me killed...or worse..."

The frown on Mike's face only deepened as he considered the young woman's words, "We are aware of that. However, I give you my word as a soldier that no harm shall come to you over your involvement here. We do not seek to harm any of the innocents in this estate. Our concern is mainly the safe retrieval of our comrades. If all goes as planned, after this, your master will no longer be able to hurt anyone ever again."

That last statement stirred something within Nadia. An old tendril of hope peeked its head out of her subconscious and reminded her of a day when she used to pray for salvation from the cruel man who had robbed her of her childhood and who had regularly tormented her for nearly a decade now. If any man deserved to be brought to justice it was Harold Tamer, and who better to do that than soldiers who fought for humanity beyond the walls? Surely Harold Tamer was nothing compared to man-eating monsters?

Nadia sniffled slightly as she considered her next words carefully. She averted her eyes from the group of soldiers and tried not to think about the terror budding in her chest. Should these men and women fail, she would surely be put through unimaginable horrors, worse even than what she'd already experienced.

"I...I don't want anyone else to get hurt, sir. My master is a cruel and truly heartless man. He's made my life Hell for many years. If—if you have any chance of stopping him then...then I want to help you."

Mike raised one of his large hands and placed it reassuringly on her shoulder causing her to look up at him, "Thank you, Nadia. I promise, the Survey Corps will protect you, and that devil will be forced to pay for his crimes."

Nadia let out a small weak smile before sighing. "So...what do you need to know?"

Mike countered her weak smile with a far larger one.

"Everything..."

Harold Tamer brought three of his men with him to the room where he took Coral. They fell into place near the entrance of the room, watching intently as Tamer took out a key and unlocked Coral's shackles.

She eyed him with suspicion as he did so, mouth clenched tightly as he placed the shackles on a table on the far side of the room.

"There. That's much better, isn't it? I'm sorry for treating you in such a barbaric manner, Cora. I'm sure you'll understand my need for caution though? For quite some time now, I've known you and your uncle would likely want me dead. I'm sure David Preston gave you as thorough a recount of past events as he could. That old fool never was good at keeping his mouth shut, which was partly why I had him tossed outside the walls with your father in the first place. If he hadn't interfered, he'd likely still be alive. Oh well. Foolishness can't always be helped, can it?"

Coral gritted her teeth at the mention of her grandfather, visions flashing in her mind of him lying on the ground trying so desperately to speak to her in his last moments.

"Why don't we just cut the chit chat, and you get right to the point where you tell me what exactly it is you want, Tamer?"

The rotund officer gave her a small grin before taking a seat at the table and gesturing for her to join him. Reluctantly, Coral sat down across from him.

"Straight to the point, eh? I can appreciate that. After all, this little game of ours has gone on long enough now, hasn't it? I'm sure you feel just as I do in that regard. Well, to be quite frank, I feel you already know exactly what I want. I told it to you earlier. I want you, Cora. Your poor mother—rest her soul—denied me, and now I have the opportunity to take what's hers. She chose that penniless fool over me and then to make matters worse she even took my eye. If Margaret were still alive, I'd make it a point to punish her for her sins, but now I have the next best thing: her precious daughter. The very child she died trying to protect."

Coral strained to maintain her face as he spoke, but the fury was building up within her again, threatening to spill over as each word left his lips.

"Where did you take Levi and Hange?" She heard herself growl quietly.

"They're quite safe, I assure you. You have my word."

"Tch. What good is the word of a murderer?" She scoffed at him.

Tamer gave her an appraising look, one pale blonde eyebrow rising as he regarded her, "But are you not also a murderer, little Cora? I heard all about what you did to that man at the orphanage. The report read that the children from the orphanage told the police that one of their fellow orphans savagely ripped a man's throat out with her teeth. How old were you then? You couldn't have been much older than 7 at the time, yes? Such a venomous little creature you are to be sure. It's no wonder you're so well known in the Scouts. It would seem that the time you spent in the Underground made you quite the fighter, but I suppose that's to be expected considering the circumstances. From what I hear, it's kill or be killed down in that cesspool of human filth. I can't very well fault you for doing what you had to to survive. You simply are what you are, my dear. You're a cold hearted killer just as I am."

Coral sputtered at his words, revulsion causing her face to twist in an ugly fashion, "You miserable...! I am NOTHING like you! I don't kill because I want to, or because I take some kind of sick pleasure in it! I only kill when I absolutely have to. You, however, murdered nearly my entire family over some petty little grudge. What a pathetic piece of shit you really are; to be so vindictive over a woman rebuffing your advances. Men like you are just weak cowards!"

Tamer stood up so abruptly that his chair toppled backwards. Within moments, he'd yanked Coral out of her chair and pinned her against the wall, both of his hands clutching her throat as she struggled in his grasp.

"You stupid bitch!" He spat at her, squeezing so hard Coral felt like her windpipe would collapse, "All it takes from me is one word, and those men by the door will go and make your friends' lives an utter living hell! I promise you, you'll have to pick their pieces up in a basket before you go to bury them, you insolent little slut! Either cooperate with me like you said you would, or I'll have my men gouge their eyes out with spoons while you watch!"

Gasping for breath, Coral clawed at his hands on her throat. He was choking her far more harshly than he had downstairs.

"L-Levi...Ach! A—and H—Hange! They—they're strong!" Coral cried out through her desperate breaths.

Tamer sneered at her, "No one is strong when you're shoving a glowing red rod into their genitals."

He released Coral's throat and dropped her to the ground, smirking at her as she wheezed on the ground in a limp pile. Delivering a savage kick to her injured side, Tamer watched in appreciation as blood gushed out of her bandaged wound through her shirt.

"You really shouldn't say such rude things when I know damn well exactly where your weaknesses are—both mentally and physically. I know all about how you begged to be admitted into the Scouts, how your uncle came to find you, and how you risked your life trying to save your friends when those gang members in the Underground shot your grandfather. You're about as loyal as a dog. Fitting, I'd say. A true bitch in every way. Now, however, that loyalty of yours needs to be redirected toward me. Otherwise, lover boy downstairs and that scientist cunt will both b-"

Tamer stopped short suddenly when a loud bang sounded from down the hallway outside the room. Turning to look at the door, he pointed at some of the closest men.

"You two! Go see what the hell that noise was."

Bowing obediently, the men drew pistols from their black jackets and disappeared out the door. As the door closed and Tamer went to turn back to Coral, he suddenly felt a heavy chain wrap around his neck, constricting his fat jowls and causing him to sputter and lash out wildly.

Coral hung onto the manacles she'd previously been wearing as Tamer thrashed out, hands reaching out to grab her from behind him. The other guard by the door rushed forward to help his master, but Coral delivered a powerful kick into the man's chest that sent him flying when he got too close.

Tamer scratched at her arms, leaving red welts that oozed blood, but she wouldn't be shaken. She clung doggedly to the chains, not even releasing when he reeled back and tried to crush her against the wall.

"How's it feel, you fat fuck?! How's it feel to be as helpless as all the people you've hurt?!" Coral screamed into his ear as Tamer's bodyguard struggled to stand.

"H—Help me!" Tamer pleaded, eyes bulging as he stared at his henchman.

Without warning, Coral dropped the chain, opting instead to deliver a massive headbutt that sent Tamer collapsing to his knees. Dropping into a sprinter's position, Coral rocketed towards the man across the room who was now fumbling with a gun. She hit him at a full sprint causing the gun to fly across the floor till it spun in a circle underneath the table. The man—who had fallen backwards against the wall—immediately went for a knife in his waistcoat. Stumbling upright, he went to slash at Coral who nimbly dodged out of the way before snagging his wrist in her hand. Twisting his arm so that the inside of his elbow faced her, she delivered a brutal jab to the inside of his arm that caused it to snap cleanly in half.

Ignoring his screams of agony, Coral quickly snatched the knife as it fell from the man's hands. In one swift motion, she sliced his throat open, effectively turning his cries of pain into pathetic gurgling as he choked on his own blood and crumpled to the floor.

On the far side of the room, Tamer's bleary eyes began to tear up as Coral made her way towards him, knife still in hand. She stopped right before she reached him, quietly bending down to pick up the manacles on the ground.

"Pretty stupid move unchaining me like you did, Harold. I had a feeling that pride of yours was going to be my inlet. Never figured it would be this easy though..."

The way Coral said it almost made her sound like she was disappointed.

Tamer's cocky self-assured persona was quickly melting.

"B—back away, you wench! I told you! My men will kill your friends! I have powerful allies! Even if you kill me, you'll just be arrested and exe-"

"Shut your fucking mouth, you swine." She warned him and the look in her eyes made him do just that. "Unfortunately for you, Mr. Tamer, what you want from me and what you're actually going to get are two very different things entirely."

Coral looked like a demon.

Her normally green eyes were glowing with a feral light he'd never seen in a human before. Her face had darkened and her posture reminded him of a coiled snake, gauging the distance between its prey, carefully measuring and calculating before it attacked.

"You took everything from me, Harold Tamer. You murdered my family. You took away my home. You destroyed any childhood I might have ever had. Because of you I'm an orphan who has no memories of what it felt like to be held my parents or even what their faces looked like. My whole life has been a fight for survival, and the man responsible for all of that is you…"

The man let out a feeble whimper as she kneeled in front of him, laying the knife she held across one knee as she examined him.

"Unfortunately, there's absolutely no way I can make you experience even a tenth of the pain and suffering I've had to endure because of you. There's very little indeed that I can do to match all the horrifying things you've done to myself and no doubt others. But..."

A small grin twitched at the corner of her lips, and Tamer felt himself recoil against the wall in fear.

"I'm willing to give it a shot..."

++Sorry this chapter took so long, folks, but man was it a bitch to write for some reason. I did my best to make sure it was at least a little longer than previous chapters, and I promise these upcoming chapters shouldn't take nearly as long. I think I've just about managed to iron out all the kinks in the story line, so they shouldn't be as difficult as this one was. Lol. Anyway, as usual, PLEASE leave me a review and let me know what you think!

-Saber


	16. Monster

Chapter Sixteen-Monster

The sun hadn't even breached the top of the walls when Thomas rolled out of the alley way near the local print shop, dragging a small cart behind him that was positively loaded down with newspapers.

The young paper boy was excited.

After all, it wasn't every day a story like this hit the streets.

Rumors had been circling throughout Mitras for the last day or so, but now it was time to confirm their findings to the masses.

"MURDERED IN MITRAS!" read the front page in large bold print. It went on to detail how military police had entered the Tamer Estate only a few nights past to find a house riddled with dead bodies. Most interesting of all, however, was the corpse of Harold Tamer. Apparently, officials had had to wait for Mr. Tamer's wife to return from vacation before the remains could be identified. The state of the cadaver was such that no one had been able to positively ID the mess left behind inside the man's room.

Thomas had been immensely surprised by the willingness of the press to print such a truly horrifying story, but apparently it had been green-lighted by the members of the First Interior Squad themselves. Strictly speaking, Thomas wasn't supposed to know about the existence of the clandestine operations squad that worked for the king, but he'd been present numerous times at the press office when the men had arrived. The editor in chief would never even hesitate to hand over the final draft for the men to review. The stories either got the go-ahead or they didn't.

Mr. Silas, the editor for the local newspaper here in Mitras, had been immensely nervous when he handed over this particular story, and ever since then Thomas had been patiently waiting to read the story that had everyone in the news room in a complete state of shock.

Upon leaving the print shop that morning, Thomas made it a point to stop and whip out one of the papers and read over it himself. Morbid title aside, the story was incredibly interesting.

According to the MPs, they had recovered 10 corpses and at least 5 wounded from the estate. Most were killed from gun shot or knife wounds, but one in particular had been a truly grisly find. The paper wasn't allowed to go into much detail, but it was made clear that the remains had been nearly indistinguishable.

What was perhaps even more astounding than that gruesome tidbit was that a few of the accused persons who'd been arrested at the scene were well-respected members of the Survey Corps.

Thomas curiously scanned the sketched head shots that accompanied the news story, stopping specifically on one girl with large expressive eyes. Inwardly, Thomas wondered how the fabled Cora Zacharius the Undying could possibly be capable of such a depraved act. Still, it was all just conjecture for the moment. A court date had been set for the end of the week, and apparently she wasn't the only one who had been arrested. As many as seven other members of the Survey Corps had been taken into custody and implicated in the murders that took place on the estate.

Placing the paper back onto the stacks, Thomas beat a path to his most profitable location. As he'd predicted, his cart was nearly empty before it had even reached mid day.

One man in particular neared the cart and tossed a coin into the air that Thomas caught deftly, giving a slight nod to the man as he grabbed a paper from one of the dwindling stacks. The young paper boy quietly watched as Djel Sannes, member of the First Interior Squad began to scan the front page story as he walked.

He seemed to have no trouble avoiding passersby as he strode confidently ahead, whether by skill, luck, or because people seemed to purposefully avoid him it wasn't entirely evident. Giving the paper one final frustrated look, Sannes folded it and tucked it under his arm as he neared his destination.

Pushing open the large wooden door that led into the Royal Courthouse, Sannes didn't even bother addressing the police stationed in the front of the building before making his way to a side door that led to a long flight of stairs heading down. Skipping steps two at a time, the man reached a long hallway filled with cells on either side. It didn't take him long to reach the one he sought.

Coming to a stop in front of his desired location, Sannes gave the woman on the cot in the corner a quietly appraising look. Coral barely looked up from her relaxed position where she laid lounging, arms tucked underneath her head.

Even in the dark of the cell, Sannes could see her vibrant green eyes quickly assess him as they flashed in his direction, taking in his uniform and the callous expression on his hardened face.

"You're a new one..."the woman spoke simply, so quietly Sannes almost didn't hear her.

"I work for the king," replied Sannes flatly, giving her a cold expression that clearly informed Coral he wasn't happy about being there.

"Isn't that what all you military police pukes are supposed to do?" Replied Coral snarkily, repressed derision lacing her words as she addressed him.

Sannes gave her what he hoped was an off putting smirk, "Not like me."

Coral didn't respond immediately. Instead, she eyed him for a few moments, and he could practically see the cogs in her brain working as she regarded him. Letting out a weary sigh, the woman sat up on the cot, folding her legs underneath herself before leaning her chin forward onto her palms as she looked at him.

"Alright, well, I've no doubt you know my name. You gonna bother introducing yourself?"

Slightly surprised at the complete lack of concern coming from the soldier, Sannes folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the empty cell across from hers. "Djel Sannes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Cora Zacharius."

"Preston." She corrected him.

Lifting one eyebrow in mild shock, Sannes continued, "...Preston. Tell me, Cora Preston, are you the one who murdered Harold Tamer?"

Coral smirked at him coyly, "You're getting ahead of yourself, aren't you, Mr. Sannes? My court date isn't for another 2 days."

"I assure you, my dear, I'm the one you actually need to convince of your innocence. This court appearance is just that: an appearance. Whatever evidence comes to light might be considered, but in truth it matters very little what the judge thinks personally at the end of the day. I report to the King of the Walls himself. If I deem you a threat, then so shall he. Now, I'll ask you again, did you kill Harold Tamer?"

Tilting her head slightly, Coral gave him a passive expression, "You said I need to convince you I'm innocent. What if I'm not? To be quite honest, I haven't been innocent since I was a very little girl."

Frowning at her cool dodging of the question yet again, Sannes furrowed his brows and pushed away from the cell at his back. "It's a yes or no question, woman. I don't want to have to employ dirty tactics with you to get you to talk, but I will if necessary."

Coral snorted at him derisively, and Sannes would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't taken aback by the cool-headed woman. She was practically still a girl, but he could tell by her mannerisms and speech that she was a more seasoned fighter than most of the men he worked with.

"No need for all that, officer. After all, I plan on telling the truth in the courtroom, so I'll gladly tell you the same. Yes. I killed Harold Tamer. I butchered the man, and—what's more—I had fun doing it. I took my time with him. First I started with that most offensive appendage of his...I'm sure you know the one. He was planning on hurting me just like he had so many prior, but him and his men weren't nearly as tough as he liked to think they were. Mr. Tamer thought he was so clever, but as it turns out, my commanding officers are far more intelligent than he ever was."

Sannes' frown deepened, "So you're willing to admit that the Survey Corps was involved in this?"

Coral glared at him, a threatening look flashing across her face as she continued.

"Only because it was forced on them. Harold Tamer tried to assassinate Commander Erwin Smith, my uncle, and Squad Leader Hange. When that failed, a team of men kidnapped myself, Hange, and Captain Levi after the expedition returned. Thankfully, the assassin from outside the walls talked. Erwin, Mike, and Hange were one step ahead of Tamer after that. Hange knowingly led Levi and myself into a trap. After which, five of our regiment tailed us until we reached Tamer's estate. With their assistance, myself, Captain Levi, and Squad Leader Hange were all able to overcome our captors."

Contemplating her version of events, Sannes narrowed his eyes on the young woman, "Why on Earth would Tamer risk so many potentially catastrophic maneuvers? What were you and the scouts to him?"

"Loose ends," said Coral plainly, "Tamer had my family murdered when I was a child. He wanted my mother, but when she refused him for my father he had my father and grandfather dropped outside the walls illegally. After which, he then killed my mother. David Preston, my grandfather managed to survive. He told myself, Levi, and Hange everything that happened. We immediately became targets after that. Commander Erwin and my uncle were of course also informed and so they became targets as well."

"Hmmph," groused Sannes, leaning back against the cell door once more, "I'll admit. That does sound like the kind of arrogant nonsense Tamer was known for. He was always a womanizing fool..."

Sannes trailed off as he thought about Coral's story, "I'm surprised you're being so forthcoming about these events..." He said, a hint of a question in his words.

Coral grunted as she unfolded her legs and stood up, languidly stretching as she did so. "I have nothing to hide. I'm fully confident that Commander Erwin will do everything in his power to exonerate me. Also, from what I can gather, although Harold Tamer may have been a member of your king's inner circle, he was not exactly a valued member. The way you talk about him only confirms my suspicions. The man was a loose cannon who threatened to destabilize your very carefully laid foundations, am I not correct? I have a feeling that little operations squad of yours was planning on doing what I myself did, albeit probably much more secretly and quite a bit less...brutally."

Sannes couldn't help but smirk at the self-assured scout in front of him. He had to give it to the woman. Not only was she deadly, she was smart too. "What makes you think that?"

Her posture stiffened slightly as she fixed her gaze on the rugged soldier, voice suddenly shifting to a far more serious tone.

"You know very well what we found in that basement, Mr. Sannes..."

Sannes grunted in acknowledgment, briefly recalling just how deep these survey corps goons had really dug. The other MPs had told him about what they'd found in Tamer's estate when they'd arrested the scouts.

That revolting old fool...

"Five children...three girls...and two little boys," Coral's hardened expression only worsened as she continued, "I have to admit, after that, it was hard to not regret the fact that I let Tamer bleed out as quickly as he did. If he'd still been alive after we found those children, I would have made it a point to stretch out his suffering far longer than I had. I imagine you interior fucks wouldn't have cared quite so much about his little "pets" downstairs if it weren't for the fact that at least one of them was the son of a rather prominent Lord in Stohess."

The military officer resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably under her piercing gaze. He had hoped they hadn't learned the identity of the child in question, but now he supposed it had all been too much to hope for.

Voice coming out far more raspy and deep than previously, Coral neared the bars of the cell, danger lacing her words as she spoke, "How long exactly did the interior know about Tamer's little "indulgences", hmmm? I suppose it wasn't an issue as long as he kept it quiet? But here recently, he was getting too cocky for his own good, wasn't he? Kidnapping wealthy children and even being so bold as to try and assassinate the head of the Scout Regiment? My my..."

Coral let out a few disapproving "tsk" noises, clicking her tongue against her teeth. "Mr. Tamer certainly had quite the appetite, didn't he? I suppose it would be best for all of us if his little...indiscretions...were kept quiet, wouldn't you say? Can you imagine if the public found out about this? In particular, the aristocratic families in the interior?"

Giving her a hard glare, Sannes spoke in a low threatening tone, "You know, it's not hard to kill a prisoner in a cell, Ms. Preston..."

Coral only smiled at him, "Oh, for you and your kind, I imagine you're quite right. The fact remains however, that Erwin Smith knows this story in its entirety, and we've already secured numerous witnesses that are more than happy to corroborate every detail I just revealed to you. Harold Tamer wasn't a very well-liked man. He had a lot of enemies unsurprisingly, and I'm betting it would still be a messy and troublesome clean up for you and your lackeys. I don't imagine the king is overly fond of such nasty rumors? Can you imagine the upheaval among a multitude of already nearly rioting citizens if they found out that our very own ruler was complacent in child trafficking? The citizens within Wall Rose are already at their breaking point after all. Food is getting harder and harder to come by, winter is now in full swing, and titans are wandering around inside Wall Maria. It's almost like the king isn't doing a very good job of protecting his citizens..."

Resisting the urge to growl at the woman who was clearly taunting him, Sannes backed away from the cell and averted his eyes from Coral's self-satisfied smirk.

"Besides, Mr. Sannes..." Coral continued, looking down at the paper still neatly folded underneath his right armpit, "We both know that you're not going to hang any of the scouts. After all, your team already let the real story print. Admit it, the Survey Corps did you a favor. Harold Tamer is dead and his legacy with him. All you have to do now is label him as the monster he truly was, and you and the King can come out of this squeaky clean. As far as the scouts are concerned….why, we were just acting in self defense. I'll take full responsibility for the murder of a child rapist. I'm not concerned with having that on my reputation, after all." She finished, a smug look on her face.

Grunting, Sannes shook his head resolutely, "No. That part of the story doesn't need to be included at all. As far as everyone is concerned, the scouts acted only in self defense."

A frown marred Coral's face, "What about those children? What happens to them?"

Sannes only had to consider it briefly, "They're all missing persons. They'll be returned to their families. I doubt it will be difficult to get them to vow secrecy. After all, I can't imagine any of them will be eager to relive their experiences."

"I'm sure you're right..." responded a grim-faced Coral.

"Still," continued Sannes, "I'll need to speak with your other partners in crime. You scouts play your cards right, and this should all blow over rather quickly."

Sannes paused momentarily as he fixed his gaze on the redhead, "I'm sure it goes without saying that should you divulge any of the more intimate details of this arrangement to anyone, you'll find yourself and your friends right back in these cells."

Coral gave a rather smart aleck bow, "Of course, sir. You have my word."

Noticing a slight grimace on her face when she bowed, Sannes suddenly realized that the woman was still injured from her time in the Underground and no doubt from her stint at Tamer's estate. "I trust our physicians saw to that bullet wound on your side?"

Coral's smarmy expression quickly dropped at his words, "I'll be fine. I've endured far worse."

Taking in the soldier's resolute facade, Sannes let out a light chuckle, "I don't doubt it. Take care of yourself, Cora Za—excuse me, Preston. I hope we never meet again." He said, turning quickly on his heel before heading back the way he came.

Staring after the man, Coral inwardly hoped for the same.

Letting out a faltering breath of relief, Erwin Smith tried to calm his heart beat as he leaned back against one of the impressively large and ornate doors within the Royal Courthouse. Inhaling one long steady breath to calm his nerves, the commander of the scouts composed himself before heading for the room directly adjacent to the court room he'd just left.

Inwardly, he knew there had been no reason for concern when it came time for his soldiers to be tried, but he couldn't help the fact that he was still a nervous wreck. Of course, to anyone who didn't know him, Erwin appeared to be as collected and cool as usual.

However, it was almost painfully obvious to Hange, Levi, and the others when they saw their commander enter the room. Following their testimonies, they had each been released from their shackles and discharged from the jail individually. A few of the scouts, mainly Marlene, Lauda, and Henning, could hardly believe just how smoothly everything had gone. Still, their innocence had been nearly unanimous among the residents of the courtroom after the young servant Nadia had given her testimony at the stand. The girl's natural innocence coupled with her sweet, trembling voice had been the icing on the cake. Erwin had watched in satisfaction as the citizens of Mitras and the members of the council ate up her every word.

Harold Tamer was a monster, and now everyone knew.

Erwin's subordinates eyed him with interest as he made a beeline to Levi and Hange. One arm still hanging in a sling, Erwin immediately wrapped his one good arm around Hange and hugged her close in relief. Noticeably surprised but not displeased, Hange slumped against her commander, inwardly glad he clearly hadn't taken her role as "bait" lightly.

She'd had to do some serious convincing to get Erwin to agree to letting her be the one that retrieved Levi and Coral once they returned from the expedition. After it had become clear that the two were inevitably going to be kidnapped, Erwin had been less than excited about the idea of mixing his exhausted squad leader even further into the equation. He'd known that if anything happened to her while she was in such a weak state, he'd have no one to blame but himself.

Still holding Hange, Erwin focused his gaze on his Captain who was standing behind the pair watching in barely concealed amusement.

"It's good to see you all alive and well, my friends," said Erwin quietly as he slowly released Hange and turned his gaze to the other scouts in his presence.

"You look like shit," Levi informed him, crossing his arms and one leg as he sat on a nearby bench. Levi himself didn't look much better however. He still had a yellowing black eye, a splint on his wrist and ankle, and two cracked ribs that caused him to hiss whenever he moved.

Grinning at his captain's familiar lack of decorum, Erwin looked down at himself. His leg was still incredibly sore, but thankfully the bullet Percy had managed to shoot into his leg had gone straight through the fatty muscle on his thigh. His arm was fractured, and the wound on his neck made eating extremely uncomfortable, but overall he'd been extremely fortunate.

Moments later, the door opened yet again. This time, Mike entered the room, his own arm in a sling due to the bullet wound in his shoulder Percy had given him outside the walls. He was followed by a very weary-looking Coral.

The council had interrogated each of them thoroughly for at least an hour each, but Coral had definitely gotten the worst of it. They'd picked her apart for nearly 3 hours, and it was painfully evident on her face. Bags had gathered underneath her eyes and her cheeks looked even shallower than they had after her stay in the infirmary.

She leaned heavily on Mike's good shoulder as they rejoined their comrades. The scouts in the room took turns inquiring after her, concern coating their speech as they each took in her rather haggard appearance.

Levi remained on the bench, unblinking eyes trained on Coral as Hange rushed forward to wrap the younger woman in her arms. Resting her forehead on Coral's, Hange immediately apologized. "I'm so sorry for all this, Snakey. I didn't want to keep you and Levi in the dark on our plan, but we all agreed it was for the best. I hope you can forgive me."

To be honest, Coral was too tired to be mad at anyone. She sighed as Hange held her, melting into the taller woman's grasp.

"I just wanna go home, Hang..." she drawled out in exhaustion.

Smiling at her friend, Hange nodded in acknowledgment. "Same."

Stepping forward, Erwin addressed the group of scouts, "I've arranged for three carriages to take us back to headquarters. Let's go home, my friends."

The unit of thoroughly tired Survey Corps members didn't need to be told twice. Together they filed out of the courthouse, ignoring the stares that seemed to come from every direction as they did so. Citizens clamored around the courthouse steps to see the now famous scout members as they made their way through the crowd that surrounded the carriages.

Glaring at anyone who got in his way, Mike made sure his niece got in first, helping her up the steps before pulling the curtains closed on the windows. Levi and Hange got in behind him while the others filed into the other two carriages behind the first one.

Coral fell asleep on her uncle's shoulders almost immediately, and he slowly placed the girl's head on his lap allowing her to splay out across the bench by his side. Levi watched her the entire time, hundreds if not thousands of questions dancing in his mind as he regarded the young woman. He had so many things he needed to discuss with her. Namely, there was one moment specifically that he couldn't shake from his brain no matter how hard he tried.

Levi's mind kept replaying that moment when Tamer had accused Coral of being in love with him, and the way her jaw had gone slack. More importantly, he couldn't forget how weak her response to the accusation had been and just how vehemently she'd pleaded for his life—even going so far as to offer herself as a sacrifice in replace of his own demise.

Stupid fucking girl.

Metallic gray eyes bored into the sleeping woman as Levi battled a wide range of emotions that he frankly had never experienced before. He couldn't pinpoint why exactly the thought of Coral being in love with him made his stomach do uneasy somersaults. Even worse was the niggling thought that danced in the back of his skull repeatedly asking him the same question over and over again.

You feel the same way, don't you? Don't you...?

Sure, there had been moments of weakness. He wouldn't delude himself into thinking that he hadn't harbored a few lustful thoughts. In fact, he'd very nearly acted on them once or twice—especially when she'd looked at him with that doe-eyed expression she sometimes got in his presence that was otherwise so incredibly uncharacteristic of her.

But love? That was a dangerous word. That was the kind of thing that made his job as a soldier just that much more painful and potentially fatal. It would be hard enough to protect himself and his squad, let alone some woman who held his very heart in her fucking hands. He was only one man for god's sake! How much could one person really handle?

Titans beyond the walls, conniving human enemies within them, and a myriad of painful memories that he'd been unfairly saddled with his whole goddamn life. Not to mention the almost undeniable fact that he would undoubtedly lose more friends and comrades in the coming years. Mixing romantic love into the whole equation didn't just strike him as stupid; it struck him as potentially physically dangerous as well. He'd survived a lot of shit over the years, and for the most part he wasn't even sure how he'd managed. To be quite honest, the death of Farlan and Isabel should have been the end of him. Who was to say that the next loss wouldn't completely cripple him and break him down completely? Could he survive the death of someone who meant that much to him all over again?

A vision of Coral screaming in the grasp of a titan flashed through his head, and he had to use all his willpower to push the thought away, heartbeat hitching painfully at the horrifying image.

Just that physical reaction from the very thought of her dying was enough to reiterate to himself how truly foolish he was for getting in as deep as he had already. What if he'd managed to kiss her that night not so long back when Hange had unwittingly interrupted them? What if he'd gone even further than that?

Grimacing at his own stupidity, Levi stubbornly looked away from Coral's sleeping form, wrenching open the curtain on his window so he could instead stare at the passing scenery as some sort of distraction. Despite himself, he felt himself glancing sidelong at her, some small part of him wishing she'd fallen asleep on his lap and not her still silently glaring uncle's. That same part caused him to berate himself once more, inwardly wondering when he'd become so weak and uselessly needy.

Levi snuck a look at the glowering squad leader across from him, noting how Mike had been hovering protectively over his niece ever since they'd retrieved her from the estate. The veteran soldier seemed to be keeping even closer tabs on her than usual, and Levi had noticed on more than one occasion that the man seemed to have adopted a renewed sense of dislike for the newly promoted Captain. As Levi glanced at the man, he saw Mike's golden eyes shift underneath his long bangs till they met his own. Levi cursed himself for looking away first, inexplicably fighting back a rising bloom of guilt somewhere in his chest.

After all, it had happened again, hadn't it?

Coral had once more been placed in a highly dangerous situation, and he had yet again failed to protect her. Still...why did he feel the need to defend her like he did? Surely she wasn't just his responsibility? Why was it he felt he needed to shoulder the entire burden of her safety? For one, Coral was not his. For two, the girl was more than capable of taking care of herself, as was evident by the fact that she'd dispatched Tamer and his guard before he arrived. Yet that feeling remained, this burning, unquenchable desire deep inside his gut that told him Coral was his to protect and no one else.

Levi's eyes fell onto her resting face once more, so peaceful and serene as she let out tiny breaths from her slightly parted lips. Her appearance right now was so disparate from the woman he'd seen only a few days prior. He still couldn't shake the image of her from his mind.

Mike and his team of scouts had infiltrated the estate just as Erwin and the others had planned, but Levi had been just as ignorant of their presence as Coral had been at the time.

As a result, he'd been in a near state of complete panic when Tamer's men had started dragging him away from Coral. He'd strained to keep his eyes on her as Tamer drug her away along with three other cronies. Levi had writhed and fought the entire way down to the basement. Despite Tamer's supposed promise to not hurt Coral's friends, the men controlling him had had no qualms about beating Levi into submission as was evident by his now rather broken state.

After getting the shit beaten out of him for nearly five minutes, Moblit and Lauda had burst into the room, killing two of the men right off the bat. His comrades had given him the exact opportunity he needed.

Leaping to his feet, Levi had wrenched his arms up till they nearly popped out of their sockets and wrapped his manacled hands around the throat of the man behind him. Levi then tucked himself into a ball and rolled forward so that the man was flung over the captain's back until he was pinned underneath him. Wrapping his legs around the man's throat, Levi had squeezed and twisted till he heard the MP's neck snap. Meanwhile, Lauda decked the last remaining guard who had gone to shoot Levi from behind.

After removing Levi's manacles, Moblit instead placed them on the one unconscious guard.

Briefly flexing his arms and his one swollen wrist, Levi had addressed the two scouts with the new authority he now commanded as a captain, not even bothering to ask how or why the two soldiers had appeared. At this point, there was only one thing on his mind that needed to be addressed.

"You two go find Hange. I'm going for Coral."

The two scouts nodded at Levi right before he disappeared from the room, sprinting up the stairs to the area he'd last seen Coral.

Using a pistol he'd taken off of one of the guards from the basement, Levi shot dead the first man who came into his view in the hallway leading up to Tamer's room. Bending low to snatch a knife out of the waistcoat of the dead man, Levi rushed forward to dispatch two more men who were still obviously startled by the appearance of the furious captain. They each went to attack him, but they were both incredibly slow compared to Humanity's Strongest.

Clocking one of the men in the face with the butt of his pistol, Levi thrust his left arm forward and sliced off the fingers of the other man who was fumbling vainly with a gun in his panic. As the MP cried out in agony, Levi lifted his uninjured leg and kicked the man so hard in the face that he saw two teeth fly across the hallway as blood spattered the wall-papered walls in a violent arc of red. A second later, two more guards appeared from the room at the end of the hallway and Levi recognized them as the men who'd accompanied Coral.

One of the men went to raise his gun to shoot Levi, but he was still too slow. Levi immediately hurled the knife in his hand at the offending guard. The blade sank with a sickening thud in the man's chest directly where his heart was located.

Slumping weakly to the floor with a sad grunt, the man stared blankly at Levi, eyes glazing over almost immediately as he bled out into his chest cavity. To his left, the other guard let out a frustrated cry and brought out another gun, taking aim at Levi's head. The captain dodged to the side and the man's shot missed completely. Grimacing as he used his swollen ankle to leap off the wall, Levi sent a flying kick into the guard's chest that made him fly backwards, crashing into a long table decorated in glass decanters. Levi barely registered the pain in his ankle as he continued forward on his bloody crusade, leather boots crunching through the debris in the hallway as his long cloak drug over the corpses in his wake.

Glass and wood laid shattered and splintered at the end of the hall where his victim had landed. The MP did his best to struggle to his feet, but Levi was on him within seconds. One slice was all it took to end him, blood dripping in slow rivulets onto the broken shards of the expensive crystal now decorating the floor.

Rising to his feet once more, Levi appraised the hallway full of dead bodies that laid behind him like a veritable trail of death.

Wiping blood off of his mouth, the rampaging captain maneuvered around the corpse underneath his feet, careful not to step on the shattered furniture before making his way calmly toward Harold Tamer's room. Inside he could hear screams, but thankfully they didn't sound like Coral's.

He didn't bother turning the handle to see if it was unlocked. Lifting his boot, Levi brought it down on the jam next to the knob and snapped the door nearly in half with his unbridled force.

Fury was still writhing within him, reigniting with every breath he took like the coals of a blacksmith's forge being fueled by a steadily pumping bellows. Pushing the shattered door roughly out of his way, Levi entered the room still holding the bloody knife and pistol he'd taken from his victims in the hall.

Towards the middle of the room was Coral.

Levi's breath hitched in his throat.

For a long time now, he had known that Coral was capable of defending herself. She was a fighter just like him. A product of the Underground. He'd seen her on numerous occasions make quick work of titans and push her body to limits that would kill most normal people. He had no delusions about her capabilities, but there was nothing that could have prepared him for the creature that he walked in on in Harold Tamer's room.

Coral didn't even look up at Levi as she worked. Tamer's ability to scream had apparently died sometime around Levi's arrival, but that clearly didn't phase her. Levi wasn't at all a man prone to bouts of gore-induced nausea, but even his stomach clenched at the sight of Tamer's mangled body strapped onto the table across from him.

"C-Coral?" Levi managed to choke out in a voice he barely recognized.

Finally seeming to notice his presence, the feral looking woman shifted her gaze from her macabre project, her normally green eyes somehow much darker in appearance; to the point that they appeared almost completely black. Her yellow-streaked red hair was matted in blood as was nearly every part of her body from the neck down.

If Levi had been in a laughing sort of mood, he might have been amused by the way they almost mirrored each other in appearance. Two homicidal monsters bathed in blood, silently staring at each other in mutual recognition of their own animalistic and barbaric traits.

"...Levi?"

Mouth dropping open slightly, Coral suddenly seemed to become aware of how truly horrifying the situation was, and immediately stepped away from the mutilated man laying on the table. A lake of blood continued to seep onto the floor, ever widening until it reached Levi's boots.

Instead of stepping away from the pool in disgust like he wanted to, Levi walked into the puddle until he had Coral wrapped securely in his arms.

Pulling her against his chest, he held her as she shook almost uncontrollably against him. There was only one word she seemed to be able to squeak out between her shuddering sobs after that.

"Monster...monster...monster..."

It took a little while, but eventually Levi had managed to get Coral back down to the basement where the others were still at. Together, they hobbled down the stairs as she clung desperately to him, wincing every time her side twinged. Levi had pestered her about it for a full three minutes, but the stubborn woman had insisted she was fine.

Finally giving into her bullheaded ways, Levi made sure that most of her weight was supported on him even with his busted ankle. As they rounded the corner leading into the bottom of the basement, Levi spotted a group of scouts standing outside one of the rooms that lined the expansive hallway underneath the house. He was immediately relieved to see Hange with the others, mostly unscathed from what he could tell.

"So, shitty glasses," Levi said in an admonishing tone, "Would it have killed you to tell us that Erwin was having us tailed that whole time?"

Levi was at least pleased to see that she had the decency to look guilty before she tried to defend herself.

"Save it," he said, halting her with one raised hand, "It doesn't matter right now. Come over here and deal with this lump attached to me. I think her stitches opened back up."

Hange immediately rushed to take Coral's limp form from his grasp, helping her to sit down on the ground. Upon spotting his niece, Mike also turned his attention away from the room he was staring into and hurried to Coral's side, dropping to his knees next to Hange as the woman peeled a shirt away from her friend's stitches.

Curiosity overtook Levi when he noticed that the other scouts in attendance still seemed to be shocked into paralysis. Marlene had a hand over her mouth and looked like she was about to cry. Lauda was shaking whether from fear or anger Levi couldn't quite tell, and Moblit had his eyes downcast as the captain haltingly limped over to them. At the end of the hall, Henning was using a key to open another room. His booming voice reached the others from where he stood, a disgusted look coating his features.

"Th—there's another one down here too!" The corporal yelled, a sudden crack in his voice reminding Levi of just how young the soldier truly was.

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, Levi pushed past the scouts in front of him and looked inside the room whose entrance they were currently occupying.

Cursing, Levi wondered just how many horrifying sights he was going to have to endure before the day was over.

"Get her the fuck out of there," he said grimly, looking to Marlene and Lauda, a deep seated wave of fury resonating through his voice.

The two soldiers hesitated as they looked at him, which only served to anger him further. "You two forget how to walk? I told you to get her the fuck out of there!" He practically yelled, snapping them out of their shock.

Fumbling with a key ring that he'd picked off one of the guards, Lauda made his way into the room and started undoing the chains on the wrists and ankles of the young girl who was splayed across a grungy cot in the otherwise barren room. The child could barely open her eyes as Lauda effortlessly scooped the fragile being up into his arms.

Snatching the key ring from Lauda's occupied hands, Levi proceeded to open every door in the hallway, disgust marring his face at each new discovery he made as he worked his way down to Henning.

Still shaking with untold amounts of anger, Levi released another child from his bonds and lifted him before moving to place the quaking little boy next to the first girl.

"Marlene, go get some blankets from upstairs." He ordered, making his way to the next room.

"Allow me," said a weak voice, and Levi's eyes landed on the servant girl from earlier. He hadn't even noticed her presence.

The girl quickly scampered up the stairs, Marlene tagging along behind.

Out of the corner of his eye, Levi could see Coral rising to her feet, Mike close to her side. The redhead watched silently as Henning, Moblit, and Lauda brought out the rest of the children, all of which were too weak to even stand.

Levi could see the same look from earlier edging back onto Coral's features as she looked down at the trembling kids who were too frightened to even make eye contact with the Scouts. Levi resisted the urge to grab her to himself again. Inwardly, he was terrified that that same demon he saw earlier was going to resurface inside of her and this time it wouldn't disappear.

"I'll fucking kill him," Coral breathed, trembling as she watched Moblit speak soothingly to one of the little boys who was quietly crying into his arms.

Placing one hand on her shoulder, Levi tried his best to give her a calming expression that he hoped would prevent her from rushing back upstairs to fill Tamer's body with even more holes than there were already. "I assure you, Coral, based on the amount of blood I saw, the man is definitely dead already..."

Marlene and Nadia appeared moments later, brandishing large quilts and blankets that they proceeded to wrap the children in.

Standing shakily, Moblit wandered over to the group, sadness wafting off of him in veritable waves. "None of them are older than 10 years old from what I can gather. The two boys are the youngest..." he trailed off as they all grimaced in disgust.

"What's more," Moblit continued, "One of those boys is a Laramie."

Both Hange and Mike looked taken aback at that.

"I remember that name," said Hange, wheels in her head already picking up speed, "I recall reading about his disappearance a few months ago. He's one of the youngest sons of Lord Ethan Laramie who lives in...Stohess, I think?"

Mike eyed the young boy who was currently being wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets by Nadia. "It would appear our Mr. Tamer was even bolder than we'd previously assumed..."

"Captain!"

They all spun to look back down the hall as a squadron of military police came barging into the hallway, rifles drawn.

"Drop your weapons!" Yelled an officer at the front, jerking his rifle toward the group of scouts still holding pistols and blades. "Drop that gear! Get it off now!"

Scowling at the incredibly insistent and obviously nervous men, Levi obediently dropped his pistol and knife. Metal resounded throughout the room as the group of scouts acquiesced.

"Don't worry," said Hange from the corner of her mouth, "Erwin has it covered, guys. We planned for this."

Letting out an exasperated "tch" as one of the MPs cuffed him once again, Levi resisted the urge to deck the man as he grabbed his injured wrist too tightly. "I sure fucking hope so, four eyes. I'm getting awfully tired of this shit."

Coral didn't say anything, only continued to watch the children sitting against the wall who cowered down even further when the MPs started interrogating them as well.

After they were all satisfactorily restrained, the MPs drug the soldiers out of the basement before loading them into individual vehicles. Sitting quietly on the wooden bench of one of the wagons, Coral's blank stare somehow managed to focus in on a small object close to the steps of the entrance leading into Tamer's estate. It was the small crumpled skeleton of a mouse, fragile cracked bones bleached white and gleaming against the black stained skin of the cobblestone street. For some reason, she couldn't pull her eyes from it even as the driver cracked the reins of the horses until eventually all she could see was a speck of white against a sea of black.

++ Hey guys! I'm back with a far longer chapter! Hopefully the way I set this up wasn't too confusing or convoluted. I feel weird writing backwards like I did, but for some reason it just made more sense to me this way. Thanks to everyone who's been so patient and left me so many lovely reviews. I try to respond to as many of them as I can, so please don't hesitate to express your concerns.

Love you all!

-Saber


	17. Feelings

Chapter Seventeen-Feelings

Lifting his seal from the red wax now pressed above the lip of the letter he'd just finished writing, Erwin placed the seal back into its case before returning it to the locked drawer at the top center of his desk. He then scooped up several different letters placed at the corner of his desk before merging them with the one he currently had in his hand before handing it to the courier who waited patiently in front of his desk.

Before placing the letters in the hands of the young soldier, Erwin made a point to make eye contact with him first, "These must be sent as priority, private." Erwin told the man, his aquamarine eyes silently informing the soldier that there would be consequences for failure.

Saluting with a stiff nod, the courier took the letters before hurriedly making his way out of Erwin's office, briefly stopping at the door only to allow the entrance of another soldier.

Coral glanced curiously at the bundle of letters the soldier clutched to his chest before stepping past him and making her way to Erwin's desk as the door closed behind her.

Behind his desk, the commander rose to his feet, a small smile gracing his lips as he beheld the young woman in front of him. It had only been a little over a month since they'd returned to headquarters following the attack at Tamer's estate, but he could already see the improvement in Coral's appearance. Her cheeks were starting to fill back out and the deep hollows around her eyes were beginning to dissipate, once more accenting her jade irises as they judiciously assessed her commanding officer.

Giving Erwin a salute, she then relaxed into an at ease position as he briefly waved away her formality before coming to stand in front of her. Resting his backside against the lip of his desk, Erwin folded his arms as he addressed her.

"Thank you for coming to see me, Coral. I regret not having sent for you sooner. I've been meaning to find out how you were faring since the estate, but I can see already that you appear to be doing far better."

Coral shrugged, "I'm just glad to be home without having to worry about assassins and kidnappings."

Smirking, Erwin nodded at her before pulling a small case from inside his jacket. "Given the circumstances, I thought this would be appropriate. One could even argue it has been a long time coming."

Holding the case out for her, Coral took it from his hands hesitantly, curious eyes roving over his features for a moment before opening the small wooden box. Inside of it was a small silver badge that gleamed at her.

"Congratulations, Squad Leader," Erwin said, a small smile flickering near the edge of his lips as he took in the expression of shock on the young woman's face.

"R-really, Blondie?" Coral stuttered out, suddenly reverting to the commander's old nickname in her surprise.

Erwin let out a small chuckle, "Of course, Coral. Hange recounted what happened inside Tamer's estate before Mike and his team arrived. She told me all about how you prioritized the lives of your comrades above your own. Also, recent events aside, you have always proved yourself a capable soldier and an ally to humanity. I have no doubt that with you as one of my officers, the Survey Corps will make great strides in eliminating the titans beyond the walls. I'll be expecting your picks for your squad as soon as you're able. And of course, as a squad leader, I'll have your belongings moved to a more suitable suite within the officer's quarters."

Blinking in residual shock, Coral reverently closed the small box before tucking it into a pocket inside her own jacket. "I'm honored, Commander..."

It was Erwin's turn to be surprised when he spotted wetness gathering in Coral's eyes. The sight only caused his smile to grow as he pushed away from his desk before returning to his chair behind his desk. "Now, Squad Leader, my first order to you is to go and speak with Captain Levi."

Coral's stomach clenched the moment she heard Levi's name roll off Erwin's tongue, the moisture in her eyes drying up almost immediately like as though someone has just sucked all the air out of the room.

"Sir?" She asked, barely containing the note of fear that tried to escape her throat.

Not looking up from a piece of paperwork in front of him, Erwin continued to scribble on the parchment as though he hadn't said anything unusual. "Is there something you do not understand about your assignment, squad leader?"

Biting back the snarky retort she wanted to throw at him, Coral's thin eyes focused in on Erwin, "Is there something in particular I need to discuss with him that I am not aware of, commander?"

Smirking at her forced formality, Erwin briefly glanced up, "Yes. I'm sure the captain will fill you in once you find him. You are dismissed, Coral."

Scowling heavily at Erwin, Coral saluted her commander before spinning to leave in a huff.

Ever since they'd returned to headquarters, Coral had been doing her best to avoid the placid-eyed captain for fear of having to discuss the events that had unfolded at the cabin weeks prior and even worse—what had happened at Tamer's estate. She couldn't help the shudder of terror that trailed down her spine as she recalled what Tamer had accused her of after she'd positively lost her shit and rushed to save Levi from certain death. She could still feel the anger that had consumed her when one of the guards had gone to cut Levi's throat right in front of her. The worst part hadn't been the anger though. The worst part had been the unadulterated fear that had swept over her entire body in a ferocious wave of panic. She'd acted completely without thinking after that, launching herself at the aggressors and hovering over Levi afterward like a human shield.

What the hell was I thinking freaking out in the moment like that? My actions made it so ridiculously obvious just how much I really cared for him. No wonder Tamer accused me of being in love with him. I was so stupid!

Still, the alternative was unthinkable to her even now. Had she not done what she had, Levi might have been one of the dead bodies reported in the newspaper. The thought was practically unbearable, and it was one of the reasons she'd been avoiding him like so desperately ever since they'd returned.

Levi had tried on numerous occasions to corner her since then, a fierce expression on his face, but she'd always found some means of escape. Her uncle had been a great help in that department. As long as he was around, Levi didn't dare approach her. He'd take one look at the glowering squad leader before letting out an irritated grunt and retreating.

Coral knew there was no way in hell Levi was actually that intimidated by her uncle, but for whatever reason he didn't seem keen on the idea of speaking to her while the man was around. For that very reason, she'd been keeping her protective father figure nearby for the past month. She hadn't needed to convince Mike in this endeavor either. She'd noticed that ever since her kidnapping, her uncle had been actively guarding her like she was a child again.

At first it only served to annoy her, but once she realized her uncle was serving as a rather effective deterrent towards a certain captain, she'd resigned herself to being shadowed so closely.

Now however, all her carefully planned avoidance tactics would have to be pushed aside all because of Erwin. It was like the man knew she'd been actively dodging Levi. What possible reason could he have for interfering though? Surely there had to be a simple and logical explanation for all this. Erwin had never been the kind of man to interfere with personal issues unless it pertained to his job. Still, his cryptic responses and the obvious enjoyment he'd exuded when she'd become so flustered made her feel like she was being purposely manipulated somehow.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Coral crossed the courtyard and headed for Hange's study. She knew that Levi had been promoted so his quarters had no doubt been moved and Coral had no idea where he might be currently. Hange was strangely talented at hunting down the irritable captain however.

Rapping on the oak door of Hange's workspace, Coral listened in amusement as she heard a loud scuffling ensue.

"Just a minute!" Cried Hange and Coral could just picture the sight that was undoubtedly unfolding on the other side of the door; stacks of books and papers being hastily moved as Hange crawled over her mess like a bird hopping around its lovingly crafted nest.

Seconds later, Hange wrenched the door open, flushed face quickly forming into a large grin when she saw Coral waiting.

"Oh, good! You're here!" She cried out, immediately reaching forward to snatch Coral and drag her into the room like as though she'd been actively waiting on her friend.

Coral only got a chance to sputter briefly before the door was slammed behind her and she found herself sitting on a chair, sandwiched between teetering piles of books and looking at a desk haphazardly piled with even more books and scattered papers, as well as a small chipped tea set that had clearly been used repeatedly and recently.

"Hang, what in-?" Coral started to speak only to spring to her feet moments later when a loud crash sounded behind her. In her effort to drag a book from the bottom of one of her precarious piles, Hange ended up knocking over the mountain of knowledge, effectively burying herself in the process.

"Ooof!" Exclaimed the excited scientist, sitting up and laughing as a splayed book tumbled off of her forehead and landed in her lap.

"Hange! Good lord, woman! Are you okay?" Coral asked, scrambling to help her friend up.

"I got it!" Cried the demented soldier, holding up the book she'd been looking for triumphantly.

From the other side of the room, Coral could hear Moblit's distressed voice as he struggled to squeeze into his leader's workspace.

"Section commander! I heard a crash! Did one of the book towers collapse on top of you again?!"

"All is well, Moblit," Hange assured the man who wasn't even visible beyond the stacks of volumes that bordered her desk.

"Again? For crying out loud, Hang…" Coral sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "You really need to figure out a way to organize this mess."

Chuckling to herself as she carefully restacked the books scattered on the floor around her, Hange agreed, "I know. I know. I'm just always so busy. Levi's threatened to do it himself a number of times, so I really should do something before that nasty little clean freak gets his mitts on my stuff."

Hearing Levi's name suddenly brought Coral crashing back into reality, reminding her of why she'd come in the first place. "Speaking of Levi...have you seen him around lately, Hang?"

Coming to a full stand, her book still clutched to her chest, Hange pushed her glasses further back on her nose, a look of mild surprise on her face. "No. Not recently. Why? You gonna talk to him finally and stop hiding from him every time he shows up?"

"Huh? Wha-? I have not-"

Hange snorted, "Oh, c'mon, Coral. Don't pretend like you haven't been avoiding him. Every time he walks into a room, you scamper to the nearest exit."

Feeling a blush rise on her cheeks, Coral averted her eyes from her overly perceptive friend, knowing how silly it was of her to expect that Hange of all people wouldn't have noticed her strange behavior. "I...I know...I just...I don't know what to say to him."

Returning to her desk, Hange shrugged as she slouched back into her chair, "The truth, I suppose. Levi's not stupid, Coral. It's clear that there's something going on between you two, and putting off discussing it is only gonna make things worse."

Coral struggled to keep her face in check, "There is nothing going on between us!"

Hange looked insulted, "Who do you think I am, Coral? You should know better than to try and lie to me. I've known for a while that you two were developing feelings for each other. It's obvious to nearly everyone at this point. The only person you're fooling is yourself. You and Levi better hash this out before it starts to become a problem, and- mark my words-it absolutely will."

"What makes you say that?" Asked Coral trying not to think about Hange's statement that everyone could already see just how smitten she really was with the captain. The thought was horrifying frankly.

Clearing a space on her desk, Hange began flipping to a specific part of her chosen book as she continued speaking, "Mostly my own intuition, but now that you're a squad leader you're going to be working with the higher ranking officers more often, which will put you and Levi within close quarters a lot more than on previous missions."

Considering this quietly, Coral had a sudden thought, "Wait. How did you know Erwin promoted me? I just found out!"

Hange smiled, "I had a feeling he was going to after we spoke about the events at Tamer's estate. Call it a lucky guess."

Sniffing in amusement at the woman's insanely accurate insight, Coral crossed her arms, "Well, be that as it may, just cause I've developed some...feelings for Levi doesn't mean anything can change between us. Especially now that I've been promoted. I highly doubt Erwin would approve of two of his highest ranking officers sharing a romantic relationship. Plus, I mean, it's Levi for god's sake. The man isn't exactly a wealth of emotion. I don't have any concrete proof that he feels anything for me, and even if he did—what kind of sadist would I have to be to actually try and pursue romance with that stone-faced lump?"

Hange let out a lighthearted giggle, "I have to admit, imaging Levi in a romantic relationship is a hard image to conjure up. However, you're greatly underestimating the man if you really think he doesn't have the capacity for emotional connection. In fact, I'd be willing to bet he has more love in his heart than a lot of men like him do. I'm sure you remember just how protective he was of Isabel and Farlan. Levi is a natural protector and guardian. For those he cares about, his energy is boundless. He'd do anything to defend those he truly loves. If you two were to actually act on those little crushes you've both been developing, there's no doubt in my mind that he'd dedicate himself to your safety in a most impressive manner. If I were to be quite honest though..." Hange turned her eyes to Coral and the girl found herself suddenly wishing her friend wasn't so good at staring right through her. Sometimes when Hange looked at you, it really was like you were a specimen trapped under a magnifying scope.

"Based on both of your actions, I'd say that line may have already been crossed. You weren't awake for any of it, but you should have seen how vehemently Levi threatened those MP doctors in the underground, or the way he hovered around your hospital bed afterward nearly the entire time you were out. And even now, following everything that happened at Tamer's estate, I find it hard to believe that you really can't see how much he cares about you. He quite literally killed for you, Coral, and we're not talking about titans here either. He cut through military police just to get to you. I can't imagine him doing that for just anyone..."

Hange stopped, letting that statement sink in as Coral fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. She wanted to argue with Hange, but none of what she'd said had been technically incorrect or was easily refuted.

Growling in frustration, Coral leaned forward, covering her face with her hands as she sank onto her elbows. "Ugh. Hange, what the hell do I do about this? Is romance really something I should even be considering while so much crazy shit is going on? Titans are inside Wall Maria for fuck's sake! Any of us could die on our next expedition. Humanity's getting steadily pushed further and further back into these walls, and here I am developing a crush like some feather-brained little girl!"

Hange's eyes were solemn but mirth still tugged at the corner of her lips as she took in the sight of her clearly frustrated friend of old. "Maybe that's the perfect reason you two should address this while you can? Our days aren't promised to us, Coral. Like you said, it could all be over in an instant. Specifically, every time we go past those walls we're tempting fate. So what harm is there really in enjoying the time you do have?"

Peering out at Hange through her fingers, Coral considered the woman's words, mulling them around in her head like she was taste tasting a fine wine. "You...you really think I'm not being foolish about this? You think I should actually tell Levi how I feel?"

Letting out a small sigh, Hange folded a small tab on the corner of a page of the book in front of her before closing it with a thud, "It's really not my place to tell you what to do in this situation, Snakey. All I know is, that of all the people in my life, there's no two people I can think of who deserve happiness more than you and Levi. Maybe Erwin, but that guy's happy as long as he's fighting for the truth—much like me to be honest. You and Levi though...I don't know many people who've lost so much or been so thoroughly beaten down by life, largely through circumstances that were beyond their control. You're both orphans, you're both from the Underground, and now apparently you're both from ancient bloodlines renowned for their sturdiness and fighting capabilities. An Ackerman and a Preston...what a combination that would be..." Hange mused out loud to herself, and Coral was mildly apprehensive about the wistful look that overtook the woman's face.

"OH! Speaking of which, that's what I wanted to talk to you about!" Standing so abruptly that she nearly knocked over her chair, Hange came to Coral's side and placed the book she'd dug out from earlier into her friend's lap. "This right here gives a little more detail into your family's ancestry. You and Levi's bloodlines really are quite fascinating. Perhaps it's just my lust for knowledge speaking, but I honestly hope you and Levi do hook up. I can only imagine the kind of team two royal guardians would make, specifically if they were focusing all that incredible power into protecting each other and furthering the cause for humanity!"

The blush that had bloomed on Coral's cheeks once more was immediately forgotten at Hange's last sentence, and she turned her attention to the book in her lap. "Royal guardian? What are you talking about, Hang? Is that what you read in this book?" She asked, pointing at the book in her lap.

Nodding her head so rapidly Coral wondered how Hange's brain didn't suffer from whiplash, the scientist woman quickly flipped the book open and pointed to the page she'd dog eared earlier. "Mmmhmm. See? It says right here that many of the old bloodlines were utilized as bodyguards for the royal family due to their incredible strength and natural fighting skill. It's no wonder you and Levi are two of our most gifted fighters. It's literally in your blood!"

Coral's mind was reeling with information as she skimmed over the pages in front of her, "B-but that doesn't make any sense! My grandfather even told me the whole reason the MPs came after our family was that we were deemed a threat to the king—not some kind of royal guardians..."

Hange's eyes beamed from behind her glasses, the excitement of new discovery causing her whole face to glow as she continued explaining, "True, but doesn't it stand to reason that bloodlines as powerful as the Ackermans and the Prestons could also pose a huge threat to the monarchy were they to ever revolt? It's no wonder the king has reason to fear your families. I mean, you and Levi are practically a squadron to yourselves. Can you even imagine an entire army made up of Ackermans and Prestons? Your families could have easily overturned a government overnight if they'd had the mind to, titans or no. Harold Tamer really poked the proverbial hornet's nest by attacking your family and then coming back for you again—this time with Levi by your side. As a team, you two could be virtually invincible!"

"Calm your crazy ass, shit glasses. Coral and I aren't lab rats for your insane experiments..."

Startled by the sound of Levi's voice, Coral jumped to her feet, nearly dropping the book in her lap in her haste causing Hange to giggle at her obvious nervousness.

"Ah, Levi. We were just talking about you!"

Bored eyes stared at Hange as Levi agilely maneuvered his way through the maze of books, disgust causing him to pull a face as he took in the state of her study, "Yeah, I kinda gathered as much when I heard my name, moron."

Unfazed as usual by Levi's rude behavior, Hange only continued beaming at him, "Well, this saves Coral the trip at least. She was trying to find you. Weren't you, Coral?"

Resisting the urge to gulp visibly, Coral clutched the book Hange had given her to her chest while trying to look unaffected as Levi turned his placid stare to her instead.

"Oh?" He drawled out, interest in his eyes as he took in her rigid posture, "This should be good, considering you've been ducking me like a childish little brat for the last month."

Torn between embarrassment and frustration with his arrogant tone, Coral attempted to gaze threateningly at him, hoping the anxiety within her wasn't noticeable as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself and the book.

"I've just been really busy is all..."

"Busy with what exactly?" Levi retorted, low voice clearly agitated as he called her out on her lie.

Glancing between the two with a pensive expression on her face, Hange cleared her throat before reaching for the tea set on her desk. "Uhhh...I'm gonna head to the mess hall for a bite. Feel free to use my study as long as you guys need."

Holding her crockery to herself, Hange weaved through the study and quickly ducked out the door before Coral could so much as yell at her to stay.

"Wait! Hang-"

* SLAM *

Clamping her mouth shut in irritation, Coral inwardly cursed the woman before sighing and returning her gaze to Levi who had apparently never stopped staring at her.

"Well?" He asked snidely, impatience coating his voice thickly as he regarded her, "I'm waiting on your brilliant response here, soldier."

Growling to herself, Coral's grip tightened on the book in her arms, "I just didn't want to talk to you yet."

"Why?" Levi bit out, anger seeping from him almost visibly as he drew closer to her, impatiently kicking a pile of clothes out of his way before coming to a stop less than two feet away.

Unable to make eye contact with him, Coral looked at her feet, wondering to herself just why it was so hard to talk to him sometimes. "You know damn well why, Levi. Everything that happened at the estate...it was all so…it's just a lot to deal with at once."

She could feel his eyes digging into her skull, stripping down her psyche till she was completely bare in front of him. If Hange was adept at seeing straight through her, then Levi was a goddamn master.

"You mean about Tamer claiming you're in love with me…?" Levi asked simply and the anger in his voice from earlier seemed to have dissipated till all that was left was cold hard truth.

The word "love" made Coral flinch immediately. Startled by his blatant approach to the memory she had no wish to revisit, she nodded stiffly, still avoiding looking at the brooding man in front of her.

"I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with me after that to be quite honest...I...I wasn't sure how you'd react once you got time to think about it. I'm not saying Tamer was right or anything, I—I just...I know how you are, Levi. You're not the type to swoon over girls or harbor some kind of infantile crush..."

"You're right. I'm not."

The flatness of his tone stung her more harshly than she'd ever expected it would. This was what she'd been afraid of ever since she'd started to realize she was developing feelings for this rock of a man. Levi was no romantic. He wasn't like everyone else. Surely, he'd only think she was a foolish little girl just like all the other goofy female (and some male) cadets she'd seen fawn over him over the years. He'd give her just as much regard as he gave them, which was none at all.

Scowling down at her feet, Coral couldn't help the shock that washed over her when she felt Levi's calloused hand brush gently against her cheek before lifting her chin so that she was looking at him. "You said it yourself, Coral. I'm not the kind of guy who develops silly little crushes, but when I do care about someone I'm forced to take those emotions very seriously. I've never had the luxury of being uncertain when it comes to my own mental state. Especially now that I'm a captain, I have to be hyper aware of the fact that my healthy state of mind is imperative if I'm going to effectively protect and lead those under me. That being said, this past month has forced me to realize that—as dangerous as our feelings could potentially be for each other—I can't deny that being away from you seems to be infinitely more detrimental to my mental health."

Coral blinked in surprise, butterflies rising in her stomach as he continued to talk. The hand that had previously been on her chin fell till it was resting on her shoulder, and she couldn't help but focus on the feeling of his strong touch holding her still.

"B-but how could you possibly-? I mean, you saw me back at the estate….you...you saw what I did to him! You saw what I am, so how could you possibly-? I-I'm a fucking monster, Levi!"

Levi shook his head as he willed her to stop, "And you think I'm not? For years I hurt and killed people before I ever set a blade to the skin of a titan. You were simply dealing out well-deserved justice to someone who deserved it as far as I'm concerned. The only thing that upset me in that moment was the fact that you were the one who had to do it, and not me. If I could, I'd gladly spare you the trouble of having spilled that piece of shit's blood. He didn't even deserve to die by your hands in my opinion. I was fully prepared to kill Tamer and every putrescent life form he employed if it meant you would be safe from him forever. These past few weeks I've struggled with the knowledge that I failed once more to spare you from even further heartache. Because of me, your grandfather is dead, and I never even properly apologized to you about that. Then on top of everything you were forced to fight Tamer even after I promised myself I'd save you the trouble of dirtying your hands with his blood."

Coral flinched at the mention of her grandfather, startled at the realization that Levi considered himself at fault for the man's death, an idea which had quite frankly never even crossed her mind. The fact that Levi was clearly feeling guilty for not only that but also her being forced to kill Tamer threw her completely. It was just as shocking as him admitting he had feelings for her before going into the longest speech she'd ever heard him make. She was fairly certain that at this moment, Levi was talking more to her than he ever had to anyone in the entirety of his whole life, and that fact made her feel special in a way that she'd never known possible before.

Moving to stop him from apologizing to her further, Coral opened her mouth to assure him that she'd never once blamed him for anything, but Levi quickly shut down her protests before begging her to just listen until he was finished.

"I know this is a lot of information to digest at once, but I'm trying my hardest to get out an entire month's worth of thoughts—if not more. All I know is, the last thing I wanted was for you to have to deal with that pig all by yourself and then face the consequences of his murder in a courthouse. In the end, Erwin turned out to be more useful to your safety than I was. This past month has been agony for me, and maybe I deserved all of it. Every time you rushed to leave the mess hall, or ducked into a side door when you saw me approaching in the hallways, I couldn't help but feel hurt. From the moment I watched that disgusting prick drag you away, all I could think about was getting you back safe with me. I haven't been able to get you out of my head ever since, try as I might. I don't know when it was that my mind decided you were mine to protect, but I haven't been able to shake it no matter how hard I've tried. I'm sorry it took me this long to realize it, but—as I said before—once I reach a conclusion about something, I don't like wasting any more time. I'm fucking tired of dancing around the way I feel about you. I know it might be a giant mistake, especially given the current state of things, but Erwin told me something a long time ago and I've tried to live my life by that idea ever since. I refuse to have regrets. I don't care if it means I'm a selfish piece of shit. All the world can go fuck itself if this fight for humanity means that I don't get to have you for myself."

And with that, he finally closed the distance between them. The hand that had previously been on her shoulder buried itself in the loose hair on the back of her head as his other reached for the small of her back. Pulling her to himself, Levi dropped his lips onto Coral's hungrily, clutching her tightly against his chest as he kissed her. There was a kind of desperate longing in his touch that was clearly communicated in the way he held her. Fervent lips held her captive in a way that felt neither frightening or truly incarcerating in their intensity. His touch simultaneously ensnared and freed her somehow.

Coral's mind immediately morphed into a warm daze, green eyes fluttering closed as she relaxed into his grasp, melting into his arms as she drug her hands up along his biceps before weaving her fingers around the nape of his neck, relishing the taste of his surprisingly soft lips as they worked against hers. A moment later and his tongue dove inside her mouth, and she couldn't help the soft moan the move elicited. She wasn't exactly sure how long they kissed, but eventually they both had to surface for air. Staring breathlessly at each other, Coral wondered to herself how she'd ever been oblivious to this man's incredible beauty. Her addled mind struggled to come up with the words necessary to communicate to him just how much she truly needed him and his captivating touch.

"Levi, I…I don't know-"

He shushed her quietly but not rudely as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against her own. "There is absolutely no rush. If you truly want nothing to do with me, this is your chance to tell me as much."

Blinking up at the earnest and vulnerable expression on his face, Coral couldn't think of anything in the world she wanted less than for him to leave her alone. Frankly, the idea was awful, and it made her stomach clench painfully just thinking about it.

"Levi Ackerman, I think I just might want everything to do with you..."

Once more he claimed her mouth, tenderly nipping and kissing her lips as Coral's mind blanked out in ecstasy yet again. The feeling of his mouth against hers coupled with the way his hands greedily roamed over her was causing Coral to lose all rational thought.

"Ngh..." Levi growled out quietly against the soft flesh near the corner of her lips, "I've wanted to do that for so goddamn long now."

Warmth flooded her chest at the implication of his words as she looked up at him curiously, "Really? I was starting to think it really was just me..."

She could hardly believe this was finally happening. What she'd deemed as pure fantasy for so long was finally unfolding, and she could hardly comprehend it. Was this a dream? Some kind of cruel joke being played on her by some malevolent facet of her war-addled mind?

The feeling spreading through her chest and causing her nerves to catch on fire as he touched her was nothing short of heavenly. Never in her short and painful life had she ever dared for such happiness as this. The feeling was so foreign but so undeniably pleasant, she couldn't help the ridiculous smile on her face as she stared up into his gorgeous gray eyes. For the first time ever, she felt like she was finally getting the chance to really look at Levi.

Hange was right. To think this man was incapable of emotion was utter foolishness and only demonstrated just how little she really knew about him. Levi did indeed have feelings swirling around inside those tumultuous stormy orbs of his. She could see it so plainly as he returned her gaze, still holding her to himself in such a delightfully possessive but protective manner.

A satisfied and rather lopsided grin worked its way onto his handsome features as he examined the expression of bliss on her face before he brought up his left hand to trace her lower lip lightly with his thumb. "No. It wasn't just you, brat. I'm glad you finally admitted it. I was starting to think I'd imagined all those lustful glances I caught you throwing my way."

Blushing at his teasing tone, Coral laid her head on his chest, relishing the feeling of being wrapped so securely in his arms. "I couldn't help myself. You're kinda cute, ya know?"

She felt his chest heave as he let out an amused snort, "You may be the only person who's ever dared to call me "cute" before."

"At least not while in your presence..."

"That's cause I'd drop kick anyone who dared to do so—even Erwin knows better."

Hearing the name of the commander, Coral leaned back slightly in his arms to look up at him, "I was actually sent to talk to you by Erwin. I really doubt he just wanted us to quite literally kiss and make up, however."

She could hear the smirk in Levi's voice as he rested his chin on the top of her head, arms still holding her tightly as one thumb stroked her back through her shirt. "I'm sure you're right. I know what he wanted us to talk about. I need you to pack up some of your stuff. Just civilian clothes. I need to take you back to Mitras."

"Mitras?" Surprise lacing her words, Coral leaned further back to stare at him, mild apprehension filling her at the thought of returning to the area they'd only just recently escaped, "What the hell are you talking about? Go back?"

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad, I promise. Erwin and I have a sort of...surprise for you."

Eyes narrowing on him warily, Coral tried to imagine what kind of "surprise" Levi and their commander could have worked up between the two of them.

"Don't look so suspicious, Coral. I'm not some criminal."

"Not anymore at least..." she corrected.

Flicking her on the nose, Levi finally released her from his hold until he was only holding her hand. "I'll tell you more about it when we get there. You and I have a lot of things to discuss—not least of which being that conversation between you and Hange that I just walked in on."

He proceeded to drag her out of Hange's study.

"Hold up! Tell me what this is about, Levi! I'm not going anywhere unless you explain what the hell is going on!" Coral protested as they exited the room.

Levi stopped suddenly, whirling on her quickly. Glancing around briefly to make sure no one was around, Levi then caged her in against the wall using his arms, grinning at the sudden flustered look that washed over her as soon as he did.

Getting as close to her lips as he could without touching them, Levi spoke to her in a low, husky tone that made the pit of her stomach grow warm with need. "Just do as I say, woman..."

He gave her one more lip-bruising kiss that was clearly designed to prevent further arguing, and Coral had to admit it was one hell of an effective tactic. Her muddled head struggled to right itself as he abruptly pulled away, beating a fast path towards where exactly she wasn't sure.

"That was a damn dirty trick, Levi!" Coral yelled after him, but he didn't turn around. She could just imagine the smug smirk on his face.

Mike could feel the heavy frown growing on his face as he watched the captain march away from his niece, clearly pleased with himself after he'd just made such a spectacle of kissing Coral out in the open like he had. Levi must have thought he was being discreet when he threw that hasty glance from side to side, but apparently he'd still been too distracted to notice Mike approaching from far away.

Resisting the murderous urges he could feel rising within him like the inevitable tide, Mike tried valiantly to calm his boiling blood as he continued his walk towards his niece. His young, inexperienced, impressionable niece who'd never so much as been in a relationship with a man before. And now, here was Levi Ackerman, former gang leader from the Underground, hardened killer, impossible dickhead, and captain of what was soon to be the single most danger-prone elite squad in the entire scout regiment making the moves on his young niece.

This same man was currently in charge of forming a team of soldiers bred purely for the most dangerous scouting missions. Even if Levi was in all other regards a great match for his niece, Mike couldn't abide the fact that Levi was very likely going to become a casualty in the upcoming expeditions due to his position alone. The probability of Levi dying in combat had only risen since his promotion.

The probability of him dying mysteriously inside the walls is rising as well, thought Mike bitterly as another burst of homicidal rage ran through him. After all, he'd just witnessed the man placing his hands and mouth all over his sweet, innocent niece; the girl he'd spent years searching for and who was basically his own daughter. The fact that Mike wasn't crushing Levi's windpipe this very instant was testament to his own incredible willpower.

After learning that Levi had been promoted to Captain, Mike had even threatened Erwin's life, making it very clear that Coral was absolutely not going to be allowed onto Levi's squad. At first, the stubborn commander had protested, using the reasonable argument that Coral and Levi were arguably two of their best soldiers and as such would make an incredible team.

Knowing Erwin was in many ways correct, Mike had still remained steadfast in his argument. Eventually Erwin had relented, opting instead to promote Coral to a squad leader position herself. Mike wasn't crazy about the idea of her being put into even more danger than previously, but it was still an improvement over the horrifying idea of Levi picking her personally to accompany him in his inevitable suicide missions.

Mike was able to approach Coral completely unseen, which served only to agitate him further. Normally, Coral was ever vigilant and incredibly perceptive. The fact that Levi had disoriented her so thoroughly was not only infuriating but worrisome to boot. Mike had been afraid of this ever since he'd noticed that mildly pleased expression cross Coral's face ever so briefly when he'd first told her his suspicions regarding Levi's infatuation with her. From that moment one, he'd begun to fear that his young niece was falling into a dangerous trap—one that was in fact capable of getting her killed should she get in over her head.

This thought only reaffirmed itself in Mike's head as he took in her vulnerable form. The girl was in a complete state of disassociation, gazing dreamily after Levi's retreating form as Mike neared her. She jumped nearly a foot in the air when the squad leader came to a stop by her side, clearing his throat loudly in irritation as she zoned out.

"Uncle!" Coral gasped, spinning around and throwing one hand to her mouth as though the evidence of Levi's kisses were still planted all over her face. Strictly speaking, she wasn't wrong. Mike could still easily see her flushed face and puffy pink lips as she gaped up at him in shock.

"Uh...you didn't…?" She began to stutter out, embarrassment painting her entire face red.

"What exactly was that all about?" Mike bit out, pointing an accusatory finger in the direction Levi had just gone.

"Shit!" Coral cursed to herself, immediately averting her eyes from her fuming uncle.

"What in god's name are you thinking, Coral?! I told you Levi Ackerman is bad news! Are you trying to send me to an early grave?! He was a goddamn crime lord for crying out loud! Of all the men you could start growing romantically attached to, why does it have to be the single most dangerous asshole in the entire regiment?!"

Scowling at Mike's stream of insults directed at Levi, Coral tried her best to return her uncle's anger-filled gaze, "It's not like either of us planned this, uncle. I mean, it's Levi! I'm just as surprised by my feelings for him as you are!"

"'Feelings for him'?" Mike repeated in revulsion, turning the word over in his mouth like as though it were a particularly offensive tasting piece of food.

"Coral, you're entirely too young to even know what the hell you're talking about. The only feelings you have for that man are borne purely out of naivety. There is absolutely no way in hell that jerk could adequately love and provide for you. He's not like other people. He's cold and unaffected and he's clearly playing you, Coral. Whatever Levi's telling you is just an obvious ploy to get what he wants, and I'll be damned if I let that criminal con his way into your bedroom!"

Flushing in anger and shame at her uncle's words, Coral found herself gaping at the man who had saved her from a living nightmare, wondering just when exactly he'd become so incredibly assured of her innocence and helplessness.

"Excuse me?!" She all but screamed at him, previous guilt now buried under a heavy blanket of outright rage. "Who in the fuck do you think you are telling ME how I should feel about someone? I might still be young and inexperienced when it comes to romance, but don't you ever fucking presume to tell me my business when it comes to choosing who or what I get to include in my life! You better snap out of whatever this bossy new version of you is, or I swear to god, I will cut you out of my life like you were never even here to begin with! Whatever happens between Levi and I is none of your goddamn business, and I would hope you'd have enough faith in me to realize that I'm not so stupid I would just let a man trick me into sleeping with him. The fact that you're treating me like a fucking child right now is not only insulting, it's also completely unwarranted given who I am and what I've experienced in my life. Also, despite Levi being a former criminal and complete, undeniable asshole, he's also an incredible man who I'd gladly entrust my life to and in fact have already done so on numerous occasions. For fuck's sake, Uncle! Even YOU trusted him enough to stay behind and protect me when you left on the last expedition. Now all the sudden he's too dangerous for me to be involved with? Fuck that and fuck you!"

Spinning on her heel to leave, Coral ignored her uncle's insistent calling of her name as she stormed off, anger pulsating off of her in waves. ALthough she hadn't actually meant to come off so harshly, she couldn't help but feel justified in her anger. There was virtually nothing Mike could do that would make her hate him, but his words had both hurt and insulted her in a way that had never happened before. They'd both argued in the past of course, but never before had he made her feel so stupid or incapable as he just had.

The nerve of him treating her like she was some idiotic, love-stricken little girl who couldn't even make heads or tails of her own damn emotions! She'd known he wasn't going to be happy about her and Levi, but the way he'd scolded her and insulted Levi's intentions had gone entirely too far. At this point, all she wanted to do was grab Levi and spite kiss him right in front of her bastard of an uncle.

Unfortunately, she still didn't know where Levi was located at the moment, and also she had a feeling he wouldn't much appreciate her kissing him just because she was furious at Mike.

Opting instead to head for the barracks, Coral decided to do as Levi had instructed her earlier. After all, what better possible way to exact revenge on her uncle than by going on a trip with the captain?

Anxiety she hadn't realized she was holding fluttered in her stomach at the thought of going on a trip with Levi—presumably just the two of them together for a few days. It would be like the cabin all over again, except this time the truth was out, and there was no cramming it back into its container.

Terror mixed with excitement swirled inside her to the point it was almost intoxicating. Coral had no idea what to expect, and for the first time in a very long time, hope was building inside of her as she considered the future.

However, there was still an old part of her that was screaming out in warning, begging her to be cautious and not forget the lessons of the past. It was an old lesson she'd learned very early on standing in the wake of a flaming orphanage; that things which seemed too good to be true inevitably turned out to be just that. Her uncle's words trailed through her mind once more, insisting she reconsider everything she was preparing to enter into. Doubt picked at her self assured convictions annoyingly as she wondered whether or not Mike really was right about Levi, but another part of her entirely thought back to Hange's words in the study from earlier.

"He quite literally killed for you, Coral...I can't imagine him doing that for just anyone."

Conviction rose in her chest once more, and Coral doggedly pushed away her uncle's words and the self doubt that had threatened to overtake her once more.

No. She was right about this. Levi was no player of the romantic field clearly. Even though he was just a man, he was no liar, and he certainly wasn't some scoundrel who'd mince his words and actions just to get into a girl's pants. No one in their right mind would ever accuse him of such shady and pathetic tactics. If Levi really just wanted to get laid, Coral knew there was a score of women and men in the military or even the civilian sector who would gladly help him in that department. For whatever reason, he'd chosen to settle his affection on her and her alone, and there was no part of her that was capable of or willing to rebuff his advances. Deep down Coral knew that whatever happened from here on out, she was well and truly fucked when it came to Levi Ackerman.

She wanted Levi. Possibly even needed him.

There was no turning back now. Inexplicably, her fractured shell of a heart had actually chosen someone for her to risk loving, and she couldn't in good conscience tell herself that it had chosen wrong. For years now, she'd told herself that romance wasn't in her cards, that there was no way she'd ever get to experience love like other people did. Sex, marriage, children, all of those had seemed like some hopelessly useless and unobtainable objects that only normal, good people were capable of having. She wasn't even sure if she deserved love to be quite honest. She was a monster after all—a murderer; a grubby little street rat with a dark past and a list of crimes a mile long, but that was just it...Levi knew all of that.

In many regards he was just like her too. He could accept her faults, because in reality he knew exactly what it was like. They were both killers made malleable from the oppressive heat of heartache, battered into resilient shape by the hammer of reality, and bathed in the cooling depths of a world that had recognized their potential as tools of war.

If there was anyone on this entire fucking planet that understood who and what she really was, it was Levi fucking Ackerman. Even Mike couldn't hope to grasp what it felt like to be a savage from the depths of Hell's innermost circle.

But Levi could…

She could still remember the demon who'd stood panting in the rain, drenched in titan blood from head to toe after dissecting the giant who'd murdered his friends. She'd seen him then, his unfettered feral rage completely exposed, yet she hadn't really been afraid of him, and now she knew exactly why that was.

In that moment, she had in fact recognized a kindred soul—someone who might finally be able to relate to her, even if it was through the most animalistic and vile parts of her being. She and him were two sides of a coin, opposite in many ways, but indelibly linked in some deep primal way that had tugged her towards him ever since the time she'd first laid eyes on him on that stage so long ago.

Sorry, Uncle Mike, Coral thought wryly to herself as she entered the barracks before coming to a stop in front of her personal dresser. Dragging a medium sized duffle bag out from underneath her bunk, Coral proceeded to start packing her things, a renewed sense of purpose guiding her as she did so.

I know you think you're just trying to do what's best for me, but this isn't your choice to make. Whatever happens from here on out will be entirely my responsibility, and I'm prepared to accept that. I could be making a huge mistake, but one thing I know for certain is that I can't just walk away from that man without knowing what could have been.

After finishing her packing, Coral slung the bag onto her shoulder before turning to depart. Briefly pausing to look back at the barracks that she would no longer be occupying now that she was a squad leader, Coral exited the building before resolutely slamming the door behind her.

++Back and with my absolute longest chapter ever. Guess I didn't realize just how much material I really wanted/needed to cover. I hope you guys enjoyed, and PLEASE tell me what you think about Coral and Levi finally getting everything out in the open. I'd love to hear your predictions on what's to come and how you all feel about the direction all of this is going. It's the fuel that keeps me going, beautiful readers!

Thank you again to all who read and review!

-Saber


	18. So Be It

Chapter Eighteen- So Be It

"Holy shit! You guys actually found her!" Coral exclaimed, dashing forward to wrap her arms around the neck of her horse, Fara.

She'd almost forgotten about how Tamer's men had led her horse away when they'd captured her and the others at the gate leading back into Trost.

Next to her side, Lauda and Henning both had satisfied expressions on their faces. Patting her horse's rump, Lauda spoke proudly toward Coral, "It took some time, but Henning and I finally hunted them all down. Even Levi's batshit crazy stallion."

Lauda gave the horse in question a sidelong look of wariness, and Coral chuckled as Levi scoffed at the soldier's words before swinging himself on top of his mount with as much grace as he commanded while using his 3DM gear. As short as he was and as tall as Hellion was, Levi somehow managed to pull off mounting the animal without looking comical in the least.

Then again, even if he had looked funny doing it, there was no one who would dare laugh at him anyway. Well, Coral, Hange, and Erwin might, but they were a different story altogether.

Stepping back from her horse, Coral extended a hand of gratitude out to each of the soldiers, "Thank you both. I would have been heartbroken to have lost Fara. Especially so soon after having lost Major in Shiganshina. I really appreciate your hard work."

Henning actually blushed and Lauda just gave her a simple nod acknowledging her words as he shook her hand.

"It was no big deal, Squad Leader Preston, really..." Henning stuttered out, and Coral had to resist the urge to chuckle at the young soldier's sudden bashfulness.

"News travels fast, I see," she responded, referring to the formal use of her new title as she placed one foot in the stirrup on her saddle before bouncing once and swinging onto her horse.

Henning gave her a slightly rueful look as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, you're kinda a legend now after everything that's happened. Plus, you went straight from Private to Squad Leader, which is kinda unheard of, ya know?"

Coral couldn't help the self-satisfied smirk that worked its way onto her face. If the boy was trying to flatter her, he was doing a pretty good job of it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Coral could see Levi approaching them on Hellion, mouth drawn tight as he neared the young soldiers.

"Don't you two have something you should be doing?" He asked tersely, full on frowning at Henning as he did so.

"R-right!" Replied Henning, quickly backing away before being followed by Lauda who had a knowing smirk on his face. He shot one look at Levi then Coral before shaking his head and chuckling as he walked off.

"That little shit sure is eager to please..." Levi groused quietly to himself as he watched them walk away.

Coral snorted at him, "Give the kid a break, Levi. He helped us escape from Mitras. He's a good soldier and he has a good heart. There's nothing wrong with him admiring officers for whatever good we've actually accomplished."

"Tch." Levi scoffed, pulling back on his reins as he spun Hellion to head for the gate, "Something tells me I'm not the officer he's admiring."

Grinning at Levi's scowling face as she urged Fara into a trot to catch him, Coral leaned forward in her saddle as she stared at him, "Are...are you jealous, Levi Ackerman?"

She watched his eyebrow visibly twitch once before he threw her a look that would have made flowers wilt on impact.

"Holy shit! You are, aren't you?!" Coral couldn't help the delighted laughter that bubbled up inside of her at the idea.

"Don't be ridiculous, you idiot. I'm just not a fan of sycophants. You should know that about me by now."

Coral let out a quiet snort as she reflected on his statement, admitting to herself that he was at least correct in that department. She'd consistently seen him glower at anyone who dared call him "Humanity's Strongest" in his presence or made a big deal about him in general when they were leaving on expeditions. Being praised above the others clearly frustrated him, and it was just another thing she'd always liked about him. As arrogant as he acted, he was still strangely modest in many regards.

"So humble is our captain," Coral said mockingly, smiling at the fierce look Levi gave her in response.

"Don't make me get off this horse, woman," he warned her, moving Hellion so that he was riding closer to her.

"You ever gonna make good on all the threats you've given me over the years, or are you just gonna keep talking big?" Coral asked him, wondering when it had suddenly become so damn fun to flirt with him like this.

Glancing covertly at her from the corner of his eye, a smile twitched at the corner of Levi's lips as he responded to her gentle ribbing, "Don't tempt me..."

Deciding she wanted to leave their conversation on that playful note, Coral chuckled quietly as they emerged onto a crowded street in the city that led to the main gate at the rear of Trost. After a few moments of riding, Coral started to notice that she could hear hers and Levi's name floating around the crowds that were walking up and down through the markets.

"-think that's Captain Levi?"

"-aren't they the ones that were involved in that crazy murder case in Mitras?"

"-the Undying? But she's so small!"

Hunching down slightly against Fara, Coral suddenly found herself wishing she'd worn a cloak. Hearing her name in people's mouths like this and having so many eyes on her made her feel extremely vulnerable. It hadn't occurred to her that after returning to headquarters, she and Levi would still be so well known among the public, but to be fair it hadn't really been that long since Mitras. Although the citizens within the walls were in a general state of chaos since the food shortage and the influx of the refugees, gossip of any kind was still a source of entertainment that people clung to as a distraction from their rather depressing lives.

Still, it struck her as incredibly ironic that a bunch of top worlders were making a fuss about two soldiers who both used to be Underground criminals. She wondered just how many of them had actually heard that portion of their pasts.

"Damn. Should have worn our cloaks," said Levi crossly next to her, unknowingly mimicking her own thoughts from just moments earlier.

Quietly agreeing with him, Coral turned her eyes away from a group of teenage boys and girls who she'd spotted openly staring at her and the captain with wide almost fearful expressions on their faces. "I guess I never really considered just how big of a wave we were making whenever we cleaned out that estate..."

She turned to look at Levi and saw his customary blank face shift to something darker, but he said nothing.

"Everything has consequences, I guess." Coral said mostly to herself, "I suppose I just miss the days when our only enemies were outside the walls."

They continued their ride in silence until they finally left Trost. Coral had a momentary flashback of when they'd first left the city together and they'd unknowingly handed over papers directly to some of Tamer's men at the gate. As Levi did the same motion once again, she found herself warily eyeing the men who were stationed at the wall, forcing herself into a calm that she did not feel.

Her anxiety refused to slip away even after they'd left the city and were riding down the now dirt road leading into the countryside.

Next to her, she could feel Levi's eyes examining her rigid posture.

"Relax," he said in a commanding tone, "There's no reason to worry. I can understand and even appreciate your wariness, but it's foolish to build up anxiousness over non-issues. Tamer and his men are finished. Whatever loyalty they may have held died with him. You know that."

Coral grunted in acknowledgment, but the feeling was still hard to shake for some reason. She couldn't ignore a small voice in the back of her mind that kept whispering words of doubt. It felt similar to the feeling one gets when you've finished packing and leave your home only to realize minutes later that you've forgotten something important. In this same way, Coral felt like perhaps she and the other scouts had flat out missed something or someone...

A thought suddenly occurred to her and Coral gasped lightly before whipping her head to look at Levi whose eyes had widened perceptibly at her small outburst.

"The assassin! Did Erwin or Hange ever mention to you what they did with that man?"

Scowling, Levi shook his head slightly, "No. They didn't."

Frowning in response, Coral turned her gaze back to the road without actually looking at it, still mentally investigating this new revelation. "I wonder if they killed him..."

"I highly doubt that," Levi said, and Coral glanced at him in interest.

"Why do you say that?"

"Do you even know Eyebrows and Shitty Glasses? Do you really think they would ever destroy anything that could later turn out to be a valuable asset?"

Fixing him under her stare, Coral examined Levi's sternly set face and realized there was clearly no joke in his eyes. Granted, Levi wasn't exactly a jokester, but this subject was borderline worrisome when she started to think about it seriously. The idea of Hange and Erwin keeping ties with a heartless assassin just for political gains was one hell of an accusation. Then again, it was Hange and Erwin. If anyone was going to utilize a dirty tactic to further a good cause then it was them. Levi clearly wasn't too concerned at the prospect, so Coral resolved herself to feeling the same.

She trusted them. All of them.

Deciding it was best to just change the subject, Coral figured she would try to get more answers from Levi regarding their destination instead. "So...you gonna tell me what this whole trip is all about finally?"

"No." He responded flatly, deadpan expression causing Coral to frown in frustration.

"Seriously, Levi? You really think I'm just going to go along with this and not badger you the whole way?"

"I have a few ideas on how to shut you up," Levi responded, smirking slightly and Coral had to try very hard to suppress the stomach flip she felt at the sound of his coyly flirtatious voice.

"Oh, hell no. I'm not letting you get away with that shit again," Coral said, stubbornness lacing her words as she looked away from him. "I hope you don't turn out to be a one-trick pony, Captain."

Levi sat back in his saddle slightly, an insulted expression on his face before shaking his head.

"What the fuck am I thinking, getting myself tangled up an obnoxious brat like you..." he muttered to himself just loud enough so that Coral could still easily hear him.

"Jackass."

"Bitch."

Coral chucked her water canteen at Levi, which he easily caught before taking a long swig out of it. Resisting the urge to smile at his antics, Coral instead just pouted at him as she snatched her canteen back.

"And here I was thinking that you were going to start being nicer to me now that you admitted to having the hots for me," she teased him as she too took a swig before replacing it around her shoulders.

"Hilarious." Levi shot back at her blandly, "Like as though I'm "mean" to you in the first place..."

"You absolutely are!"

"It's not my fault you're such a sensitive little brat. You've always been so easy to rile up. It's one of your weaknesses."

Feeling mildly insulted at his words, Coral sniffed haughtily at the captain before urging Fara into a swift trot, "Funny. I seem to recall you being the one to stomp off in a huff the first time we got into an argument..."

"Tch. That's only cause I didn't want to say too much in front of Erwin. If you'll recall, I was still planning on killing him at the time."

"Excuses. Excuses…" Coral muttered before letting out a yelp when she felt a sharp sting across her backside. Whipping her head to look at Levi, she immediately saw him retracting one of his long reins back into his hand. He'd clearly used it as a whip only seconds earlier.

Coral was about to launch into a litany of curse words when Levi suddenly dropped low against Hellion, tapping the stallion on his flanks using his boots. Like a greased pin, Hellion shot forward in an instant leaving Coral gaping. Dust flew up in a huge cloud, causing her to cough and sputter in anger.

"Dammit, Levi!" She screamed after him.

"Move your ass, Preston! I want to reach the wall before dark!" Levi called back over his shoulder, and Coral couldn't help the grin that settled on her lips before she too dropped down near her horse's neck and clicked her heels.

Fara responded immediately, apparently eager to catch up to her opponent who now had a huge head start on her. Together, the two soldiers thundered down the dirt road at full speed. For the first time in a long time, their thoughts were no longer centered on death, titans, or war. They were simply humans racing each other like carefree children, and for a short time, everything was good within the walls.

It was nearing dusk by the time they finally reached Wall Sina, or rather, the outer wall of Hermina. Once the garrison soldiers processed them, Levi took a hard right into the city heading into an area that Coral was completely unfamiliar with. Eventually, they reached a street that was still busy with people even as late as it was. Clearly a few bars and businesses were still open.

At the far end of the cobblestone road, Coral could see a sign for a local inn. The small wooden sign declared itself as "The Cat Nap Inn" and had a cutout of a slinky cat underneath its name.

"You been here before?" Coral asked Levi quietly, trying to dismiss the nervousness that was welling up in her at the impending prospect of spending the night with Levi at an inn.

Frankly, the thought had been on her mind for hours now, but it hadn't really started to bug her until they'd neared the quaint little hotel nestled into the heart of Hermina.

"Once or twice," Levi responded dismissively as he dismounted Hellion. He quickly came to her side to help her down from Fara, watchful eyes examining her as she shooed his help away.

"I am quite capable of dismounting my own damn horse, Levi." She admonished him, before dropping nimbly to her feet on the stone road.

His gaze shifted over her slightly, dropping to her waist where he knew her old wound was. "I'm guessing that your side isn't bothering you anymore?"

Coral placed a hand to her waist, feeling underneath her shirt where her ragged wound had finally healed. After Tamer had opened it back up, the stitches had torn rather badly and the wound had taken even longer to heal. It was finally closed up now and no longer really bothered her, but the scar it had left was far more jagged and ugly than she'd originally hoped for. Her stomach would forever have a gnarly incision scar. Normally that wouldn't bother her so much, but for some reason now, with Levi staring at her with concern on his face, she felt herself wanting to hide it forever.

Briefly recalling that time he'd bound up her wound with his careful hands in the cabin made her suddenly blush red and she turned to look away from him, grabbing her pack off of Fara's saddle as a distraction.

"It's fine. All healed up. What about you?" Coral asked, quickly changing the subject, "How's your wrist and ankle? Oh! and your ribs?"

She could hear the dismissal in his voice as he too began unpacking his horse. "Been fully healed for at least 3 weeks now."

"Really?" Coral turned her eyes back to him, incredulousness clearly tainting her words, "Your ribs too, eh?"

Levi mostly ignored her gaze as he slung his pack onto his right shoulder, "I'll be fine. I barely feel any discomfort from them now. Those MP bastards always bark worse than they bite. Just a bunch of undisciplined dogs..."

Coral watched in sad interest as she saw a flash of pure hatred travel across Levi's face, and she wondered just how badly he'd suffered before the others finally came for him. Something like guilt welled up inside of her as she realized that while he was being beaten in cuffs, she had likely been bickering with Tamer and then wasting her time torturing him while her friends were still being held.

Now that she thought about it, she'd been so incredibly selfish that night. Whereas Levi's first acts had been to break free and head directly for her so that he could save her, she'd been so focused on her own revenge she'd practically forgotten about everyone else. All she'd been concerned with had been her own self-seeking version of justice. The thought disgusted her now.

"Levi...I...about that night..."

"Don't." Levi said forcefully, immediately causing her to cease.

"Remember what I said..." he turned to look at her before gently placing a hand on the small of her back, "No regrets..."

Speechless, she allowed him to accompany her into the inn, barely noticing as Levi placed some coin in the hands of a young stable boy that led away their mounts. Together, they entered the inn, a small cozy establishment that was impeccably clean, which didn't surprise her in the least. Of course Levi had managed to find a place in town that met his hygienic standards...

A kind faced older gentleman was wiping down tables in the common area when they entered and he immediately smiled at the sight of Levi.

"Ah, Mr. Ackerman! It's good to see you back again. Same room as last time, or…? Is this your wife?" The man suddenly seemed to notice Coral, Levi's hand still placed possessively on her back.

Cursing the blush that rushed across her face when she realized what was going through the innkeeper's mind at the sight of her with Levi, she immediately pulled away from him, hoping to herself that Levi wouldn't be offended at the presumption.

She noticed him throw her a sidelong look, but it wasn't one she could put a description to before he looked away and stalked toward the man.

"A suite will suffice, Maurice," Levi told the man simply, dodging the question deftly before pulling out a leather billfold from his long, dark green coat.

Coral waited patiently as they finished the transaction, following Levi quietly after he got the key to their room. Just as he'd asked for, the room was actually an attached suite. The first portion was a simple living area with a couch, table, and attached washroom. On the far side of the room was a door that led into a bedroom with a queen sized bed and little else. Coral eyed the bed warily as she dropped her things onto a chair, which Levi seemed to notice.

"Don't worry. You can have the bed. I'll stay in here," he said simply as he dropped his gear onto the couch in the front room.

"I...thank you..." Coral said quietly, struggling with the words she wanted so desperately to get out.

Her whole body was filled with apprehension. All of this was so foreign and new to her still. She didn't know what he was expecting of her or even what she herself really wanted. It was like trying to launch herself into a dance that she didn't know the steps to, and her tangled up feet were causing her an inordinate amount of distress.

After all, they'd only just kissed. That was it. He'd made it clear that he cared about her and wanted her in his life, but as far as romance and sex was concerned, Coral was a complete amateur who needed guidance when it came to the next steps. Which of course was worrisome considering her dance partner was Levi Ackerman, a man who was well known for his short temper and lack of sympathy. She was worried that he'd kick her off the dance floor before she even had the chance to figure out the pattern.

What exactly was okay here and what wasn't?

This wasn't like killing titans on the battlefield. No portion of this was cut and dry. She'd never in her life been in a romantic relationship with a man before, except maybe Liam, but even then she'd only been a kid. Also, Liam had been like a puppy. He'd followed her around, jumping at any chance to please her, constantly eager to touch and be touched by her.

Levi, however…

Who the fuck even knew what that man really wanted? She could easily imagine him becoming irritated with her for talking to him too much or clinging to him when he wanted space. He was clearly not some lovesick puppy who desperately wanted her approval, and frankly she wouldn't want him if he were. The fact remained however that she was still completely at a loss when it came to being with him, and she could tell he was struggling with the opening steps too.

Coral jumped slightly when she heard the washroom door slam shut after Levi, startling her out of her thoughts. Sighing in consternation, Coral went to the bedroom and took off her jacket before changing into some night clothes and slipping under the covers feeling dejected and alone.

Resting his hands on the outer rim of the sink, Levi sighed heavily as he dropped his head, staring into the white ceramic bowl underneath him as water continued to drip off his face from where he'd splashed it moments earlier. Closing his eyes, he focused on the feeling of the droplets running off the end of his nose as he struggled to pull his thoughts from the girl in the other room.

Coral was uncomfortable around him.

He could feel it radiating off of her in waves, and the realization had caused him a rather inordinate amount of anger for some reason. The way she'd snatched her hand out of his downstairs when the innkeeper had asked if she was his wife had hurt his feelings to be quite honest. She'd acted like the thought sickened her, backing away from him so quickly like as if even being near him was suddenly unacceptable.

Turning on the tap, Levi dipped his hands underneath the running water before filling his palms and splashing his face once more, slicking back his long black bangs so that they laid stuck to his scalp for a moment before strands eventually began to break free and fall back onto his damp forehead.

He knew that this was all new territory for her, but it was for him too. There was so much he wanted from her, but he wasn't sure where to begin. All he really knew was that he desperately wanted her to be comfortable around him. He hated the way she was fidgeting and pulling away from him. She'd been so relaxed on the ride over, but the moment the inn had come into view, she'd started retracting into herself like a tortoise hiding in its shell. He'd quickly started to realize what it was that was giving her such anxiety, but the thought had only raised more questions.

Was all of this too much for her? Was he being presumptuous by thinking she wanted him as much as he wanted her? Was she afraid of him perhaps? Did she have some reason to worry that he might try to force himself onto her before she was ready? After all, she'd been raised in the Underground. He knew full well that there were many men in that cesspool who likely would have tried to force themselves on a pretty little girl like her. Maybe some of them had even been successful...

The thought made him feel physically sick, which was why he was currently leaning over the sink, hoping to whatever god there might be that Coral wasn't currently associating him with some disgusting pig like Tamer.

The way she'd been eyeing the bed had only reinforced his suspicions. She was clearly apprehensive about sleeping alone near him. A titan killer she may be, but in the end she was still a woman and a young woman at that. It was easy to forget that sometimes when he'd only ever known her as a soldier for so many years now.

Leaning back against the wall with a sigh, Levi took a moment to compose himself. He then stood straight and rolled his neck to release a few tight spots before rubbing the water off his face with a hand towel.

He was just going to have to make her feel comfortable around him. That was all there was to it. It was his job now to make her feel safe no matter what, and he was going to do whatever he had to to make that happen.

Pulling his jacket back on, Levi walked over to the bedroom door before lightly rapping on the surface.

Coral appeared a moment later, wrapped in a quilt with her hair already mussed from laying down.

"What the hell are you doing?" Levi asked, eyeing her disheveled appearance in surprise.

She blinked at him with equal amounts of surprise flickering in the recesses of her eyes, "Uh…going to sleep?" She asked, as though he was trying to trick her somehow.

"You're not hungry? Neither of us have eaten since this morning." Levi stated simply, trying not to let his eyes slip to the bare piece of skin on her chest that was showing between the blanket wrapped loosely around her thin shoulders.

"Uh..." Coral shifted suddenly, looking down, "Well, I mean, if you're gonna get something from the kitchen-"

He cut her off quickly, "I was actually thinking that maybe we could go have dinner somewhere..."

Coral instantly glanced up at him, eyes wide to the point where he almost laughed at her. "What? Is that so bad? If you don't want to, I can get something from the ki-"

"No!" Coral cried out quickly and far louder than she'd intended.

She bit her lower lip as though to silence another outburst before pulling her blanket closer to herself, "I mean, just...just give me a few minutes to get ready, okay?"

Levi nodded, "Just hurry. I'm not sure how late the places around here stay open."

Coral nodded quickly in response before ducking back into the room and closing the door.

Coral emerged from the room minutes later, still a little breathless from getting dressed in such a hurry. She'd never admit just how many articles of clothing she'd thrown carelessly onto the bed, stressing out over the appearance of each like some pubescent girl attending a ball.

Hating herself for being so anxious about the idea of eating food in public with Levi like a normal human being, she'd finally settled on a rather daring dress. She'd bought it a few years back completely on a whim, not knowing why she was wasting money on something that she would likely never have the opportunity to wear. She'd only worn it once, and that was when she'd tried it on at the dress shop and fallen in love with it. She'd surprised herself by packing it in the first place, but for some reason the timing seemed right for the ostracized article of clothing.

For a few moments, Coral stood in front of the mirror, fighting internally about whether or not she should actually go out in the dress or just stick with her plain civilian clothes. She tried valiantly to reassure herself that she wasn't being over the top. After all, the dress wasn't overly formal. It was a simple green cotton skirt, but the top portion was a white off-the-shoulder peasant top. It was complimented by a plain leather vest that scooped underneath her breasts, drawn tight by criss crossing strings. Its only accent was some elegant green floral stitch work that bordered the edges of the vest, but the emerald thread stood out starkly against the dark brown leather even as thin and delicate as it was. Coral grudgingly admitted to herself that the ensemble complimented her figure and skin tone quite well, regardless of how unusual it felt to wear something so feminine.

Taking a deep breath, she resolved herself to her choice of attire and pushed the door open that led into the living area of the suite before she gave herself a chance to back out of wearing it.

Standing there awkwardly, Coral carefully watched Levi's face, hoping for what exactly she wasn't sure. Desire? Approval? Appreciation?

She could see none of that as Levi glanced up at her from where he sat waiting patiently for her in the armchair next to the couch. He simply examined her once before his eyes landed on her bare shoulders, a slight downturn of his lips causing her heart to plummet like a stone in a pond.

"You do realize it's cold outside?" He asked her in a tone that suggested she was clearly an impractical moron.

Fighting to hide the look of disappointment that was attempting to wash over her face, Coral dropped her eyes from his before returning a second later wearing her long dark green scout trench coat. Unfortunately it was the only jacket she had. She hoped it didn't look too comical coupled with her dress, but she was too stubborn and embarrassed to change into her civilian clothes now.

Coral had a sneaking suspicion she wasn't doing a very good job of hiding the hurt that she was feeling from Levi's dismissal when she felt his hand grab her shoulder lightly and force her to turn towards him as she made for the door.

"Hey...wait." Levi demanded quietly and she forced herself to turn back towards him, hands dug defensively into her pockets.

Levi looked wildly uncomfortable as he tried to form words, eyes expressing a far wider range of emotions than was typical of him. Coral watched him in interest, wondering what exactly was bothering him so badly that he'd stand there awkwardly trying to speak, worry lines creased between his brows.

"I fucked that up royally, didn't I?" Levi finally managed to say under his breath, a deep frown on his face as he glanced questioningly at her, clearly expecting her to know what the hell he was talking about.

"Huh?" She gaped slightly at him, one eyebrow rising high as she watched his unusual behavior unfold.

An irritated growl sounded in his throat as he looked down at her dress, one hand pulling open her jacket which she'd instinctively wrapped all the way around her in an effort to hide her embarrassment. He held the jacket open deliberately as he examined her while she struggled to maintain her composure and not reveal just how much his opinion truly mattered to her.

Taking a step closer to her, he trailed one hand down the cinched leather vest at her waist before raising his eyes to meet hers, a kind of guilty longing lingering somewhere in the depths of his metallic irises.

"I'm sorry, Coral. I'm an ass, and you...well...you're gorgeous," he said quietly, and Coral almost thought she was dreaming when she noticed a slight tinge of red paint his cheeks.

Still shell shocked by him, Coral couldn't even react when he drew her close and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before pulling away from her.

Averting his eyes, Levi took her hand and opened the door to the room, slowly pulling her along behind him as they walked down the hallway that led to the stairs.

"Try to keep in mind, I'm not particularly good at this whole...romance thing," he said out of the side of his mouth, clearly uncomfortable with the word even as it left his mouth, "So try to be patient with me. I'm sorry if act like a damn fool sometimes."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she carefully watched him, grip tightening against his hand as happiness swirled in the pit of her stomach.

Levi wasn't perfect clearly, but he was trying. He was trying just for her.

The thought was enough to make a delightful warmth gather in her chest and fill her like a particularly satisfying gulp of brandy on a cold winter night.

Quickening her pace slightly to catch up to his side, Coral drew their clasped hands up and placed a small kiss on his knuckles, letting him know immediately without unnecessary words that she forgave him and understood completely.

Levi's fingers loosened slightly before he intertwined them between Coral's and drew her even closer to his side, his unease melting away the instant she'd touched her lips to his hand.

Inwardly, he knew that this journey wasn't going to be an easy one for him. After all, he'd never been very good at expressing himself or interacting with others, but he was determined to do whatever was necessary to make this woman happy and keep her near him.

Glancing at her smiling face from the corner of his eye, Levi felt something stir deep within him that was both exciting and terrifying all at once. He couldn't remember having ever felt like this before about anyone, and the thought was enough to make his chest constrict like someone had placed a boulder above his heart.

Coral Preston, Levi thought to himself as the pervasive pressure continued to strangle him in its intensity, You're gonna be the death of me, woman.

Exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Levi pushed open the door to the inn, allowing Coral to walk out ahead of him before stopping in the road to look around. For a moment Levi simply stood on the porch of the inn watching Coral as she stood there, silhouette illuminated enchantingly by the flickering fire light of the street lamps. The orange glow radiated off of her wavy red and yellow hair brightly, and he could feel his heart stutter when she turned to look back at him, forest green eyes flashing in the delicate light like two magnificent gems jealously gathering the rays of the sun after having been lost too long in darkness.

When she caught Levi staring at her so blatantly, Coral smiled at him widely, a dimple forming on one of her cheeks as she too drank in the sight of the man who made her heart soar.

Levi's eyes devoured the image of her standing in the middle of the street, effectively burning it into his memory forever. She looked truly stunning in the dress, which was probably why Levi had had such difficulty telling her as much in the first place. The green of the long skirt matched her eyes almost perfectly, and the snug fit of the vest against her curves made him want to do things to her that quite frankly would be heavily frowned upon in public.

The absolute death of me, Levi reflected once more before stepping off the porch.

As he approached her, Coral reached her hand out to him, beckoning him closer.

So be it…

He took her hand.

Okay, guys, I struggled really hard with the idea of stopping at this point to begin the next chapter, but for some reason this just felt right. I promise to update soon and reveal the surprise. I think you guys will like it for sure. Thank you again to all who take the time to review. Bless your hearts!

-Saber


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